Second Circle
by Li the Twilight Knight
Summary: AU - In Deep Dive City, there is a certain nightclub. In this place, paths cross, tangling lines of fate, and the people who enter become part of the larger story. Soul-mates, old grudges, best friends and worst foes... This is the story of Second Circle.
1. Introduction

**Introduction**

Deep Dive City.

It was a city that never slept. Under the glow of brightly lit neon, people could be found at all hours of the day, roaming the streets, drinking in bars or dancing in clubs. In the shadier places, illegal gambling and crime reigned. There were powerful gangs and influential families involved in what those of the nightlife referred to only as the "underground", the web of lies and violence that most of the city remained unaware of, especially the daywalkers. Police tried and failed to find the sources of incidents, but no one who lived by the night would talk. The underground was dangerous, sure, but it formed a corner of their world, and a foundation could not survive with pieces missing.

Second Circle.

A popular nightclub, owned by a somewhat eccentric Xemnas Nihil, which was located in the heart of the Memory's Skyscraper district. It drew customers because of its upbeat atmosphere, live performances, entertaining employees, and the Oblivion Bar. The small bar attached to the nightclub had the best drinks in the city, or so people claimed.

Second Circle employed many performers, trained in all forms of entertainment. They were dancers, acrobats, actors and singers. For them, Second Circle was like a second home. For at least one, it _was_ home. It was more than a nightclub. It was a theatre, a karaoke palace, a circus, a dance hall, and whatever else people needed it to be.

Lives crossed, met and tangled lines of fate, and stories played out within the club's walls. The aloof dancer who met his soul mate. The middle child of three brothers, whose family disapproved of his life choices. The flamboyant performer who owed Second Circle his life. The criminal who flirted shamelessly with danger every night… And many others, all of them wound together in a tangled web of camaraderie, strange and twisted as their 'family' may be. This is the story of those people, their lives and their troubles and triumphs.

This is the story of Second Circle.

* * *

This is also what happens when you listen to too much techno, talk to your crazy friend too much, watch Moulin Rouge at 2 a.m., and don't get enought sleep. XD Hi, guys. This is the AU epic I kept going on about if you happened to read the author notes of my other story... Yeah. This showed up and would not leave me alone until it was written. So, here you go!

For the record, there will be a question at the end of every chapter, along with a list of music that (usually) goes with the chapter. Feel free to try and answer; maybe I'll do something nice if people get it right. :D

Hugs!  
Li

Reader Quest – There is another famous Oblivion Bar in fiction. What is it from?  
Song list: Rhythm of the Night (from Moulin Rouge)


	2. One Happy, Dysfunctional Family

**One Happy, Dysfunctional Family**

"I will kill him. I will absolutely kill him! Slowly… slowly and painfully."

One Zexion Ishida, clad in loose black pants and a black turtleneck, stalked across the stage at the back of Second Circle's main floor, a thick stack of paper clenched in one hand. His bare feet didn't make a sound on the smooth wood, and though silver-blue hair hung over one eye, hiding it from view, the look on his face was clear. Everyone knew to avoid the young dancer when he got like this.

Roxas Strife, a blond boy who was a year younger than Zexion, and Axel Flynn, a passionate redhead, were sitting around on some of the chairs in the corner near the front of the nightclub, behind a four-foot wall that divided the seating area from the dance floor. Both dancers were listening to a story told by one of their more frequent visitors, a man named Xigbar Handel. The older sniper came mostly during the day, since he spent his nights working. All three had been laughing, but Axel caught Zexion's eye and excused himself, crossing the half-empty dance floor to where Zexion fumed.

"Whatsa matter, Zex?" he asked. Zexion fixed him with a piercing glare that Axel was certain would have done him in, if looks could kill. The younger teen dropped the stack of papers he held long enough to jump gracefully down from the stage to the floor, landing noiselessly beside Axel and scooping the papers back up to wave in his face.

"What is Xemnas _thinking_?" he demanded. "This is ridiculous! I _refuse_ to go along with this!"

"Oh…" Axel said, comprehension dawning as to why his friend would be so mad. "That's the script for the play Xemnas wants to do."

"_Yes_!" Zexion snarled. "He cast you as a charming soldier returning from war to see his beloved. He cast Saïx as a slightly psychopathic duke who wants the girl for himself. _He cast me as the girl!_" He flung the stapled packet to the floor. "Doesn't Marluxia usually play the female roles? Why can't he do it?"

"Because the night we're doing the play, Vexen's got the night off, and Mar's taking over Oblivion." Axel explained, trying very hard to hide the smirk in his voice. He picked up the fallen script, flipping through it. "Oh, look, a ball! And a chase sequence… Ooh, Zex, look! A passionate make-out scene!"

Axel howled a second later as Zexion kicked him in the shin and took his script back. A few people stared, but those who were at the club often enough to know the dancers didn't even blink. "Roxas will hate you. You know this. Obviously he hasn't read to the end of the script yet. You know, we do _have_ a girl on the premises…"

Axel rolled his eyes from where he had landed on the floor, clutching his leg. "You want me to do a scene like that with your sister? I mean, not that I have a problem with it, but… OW!"

Zexion kicked him again. "Xion is fifteen! You're twenty-two, you cradle-robber! It's bad enough with Roxas…"

"…but at least Roxas lets you know that I'm gay, and would stay away from your sister anyway. Jesus, Zex, you kick hard for someone barefoot!" Axel climbed back to his feet. "I need that leg to perform, you know."

Zexion sighed. "I'm not talking to you, Axel." He walked off in the direction of Oblivion, ignoring the redhead as he yelled something about practicing during closed hours later. The shiny dance floor, made to reflect the lights where it could be seen beneath people's feet, was cold beneath his own bare toes. Slipping past Lexaeus, the bouncer who watched the door between Oblivion and the rest of Second Circle, he smiled to feel the much taller man ruffle his hair before making his way to the counter of the smaller bar. White walls and silver accents gave the little area a completely different feel from the rest of the building, which was all black leather chairs and sofas and dark, fabric-swathed walls to provide acoustics. It was like yin and yang, or darkness and light. Oblivion represented safety, from everything but yourself, if you were someone who had a tendency to drink too much. The main floor represented chance and danger, putting yourself at the mercy of the dancing crowd.

Raising an eyebrow at Vexen and Marluxia, who were making out against the back counter, he picked up a spoon and banged on a glass that was sitting empty on the bar. He was the only other one in the bar, and both bartenders shot apart, obviously somewhat embarrassed that someone had caught them.

When Vexen saw who had interrupted, he smiled, shaking his head. "I should have known, Zexion." The bartender was fond of the younger dancer; in fact, most of the workers at Second Circle had somewhat 'adopted' Zexion. "What can we do for you?"

"I need a drink." Zexion grumbled, resting his head on the counter. "Can I have a Tiramisu?" The only time they had ever let Xion attempt to mix drinks, she had created something that, unexpectedly, most of the employees liked very much. Customers didn't order it often, since it was a bit eccentric, but it remained on the menu since that day. Named after the dessert it was inspired by, it was Kahlúa, chocolate liqueur, and cream, with a dash of vanilla, topped with cocoa powder. A complimentary cookie usually came with it.

"You know I don't approve of you drinking." Vexen tutted, but reached for a glass regardless, tossing in a few ice cubes before looking for the bottle of Kahlúa.

"I deserve it." Zexion murmured into the white granite counter. "Xemnas wants me to play the girl in that stupid play he has us doing."

Marluxia tilted his head, scrutinizing Zexion with a finger to his lips. "Well, Zexion…" the pink-haired man said after a long moment, "You are rather pretty for a boy. And you have the right figure, as a dancer, to wear the dress…"

Zexion rolled his eyes. Great. No-one was on his side for this. Not even the one man who looked more feminine than he apparently did. He took the cookie he was offered, dipping it in his drink like he wasn't eighteen years old and it was just a glass of milk. A flutter of movement registered in his periphery, and he glanced up at the slender, waif-like girl who had taken a seat at the end of the bar. Naminé O'Donohue, aspiring artist. She came to the club on a regular basis, liking the opportunity to just sit and sketch whatever people happened to be around.

Marluxia smiled at her, saying teasingly, "You're later than usual today, Naminé. Did something happen?"

"I was here." Naminé said, spreading out her colored pencils in a line before her, perfectly in color order, starting with violet. "I had to ask Xemnas about something."

"What on earth…?" Marluxia began, and trailed off. She had just gone in and _talked_ to Xemnas? That was usually a feat for only the bravest of souls, especially on days like today when he hadn't been out of his office yet.

"My brother needs a job." Naminé said lightly. She picked up a blue colored pencil, tracing it over the paper in smooth, even strokes. "He's a musician, and I thought he'd do well here. After all, I spend a lot of time here, and so do some other people who don't work here. And you guys look like you're always having a good time. Except for right now." She nodded gently in Zexion's direction. The young man sighed, taking a large gulp of his drink.

There was silence for a while after that, broken only by yells from the other room, and the sudden start-up of the sound system. It was the last round of dancing before the two-hour shutdown to get ready for the night hours. There were never many people in Second Circle during the day, but someone always wanted to dance. Axel and Roxas were cranking up the club mixes in the music booth. They didn't have a DJ or anything, so it would likely be a good thing for Naminé's brother to join their little family, if only to stop Axel from overplaying the 'Disco Inferno' track when there were fewer people around.

Marluxia came out from behind the bar, glancing at the sketchbook over Naminé's shoulder on the way by. "Wow, Naminé. That's incredible. It looks just like him."

Naminé beamed, Vexen looked up from the glass he was washing, and Zexion blinked absently. He wasn't anywhere near drunk. Vexen never put enough alcohol in his drinks. Zexion suspected he was sneakily substituting chocolate syrup for the chocolate liqueur; possibly strong coffee for at least some of the Kahlúa. Vexen set the glass and washcloth down, smiling expectantly. "Well, show us! Don't keep secrets when we're standing right here."

Naminé held up the sketchbook. It was a perfect likeness of Zexion, done in soft violets, blues, and greys, staring at his glass of Tiramisu with a melancholy look on his face. He looked younger, more innocent, especially with the cookie held delicately between the image's fingers. Vexen breathed in sharply. "If I didn't know it was a picture of him now… He looks just like he did when…" He cut himself off, turning to look at the young man in question. The dancer was looking at the picture contemplatively.

Zexion downed the rest of his drink in one gulp, setting the empty glass on the counter and sliding from the stool. "You're very talented, Naminé. It's beautiful." The words sounded forced, and Zexion swept from the room immediately after.

Naminé looked at Marluxia worriedly. "What did I do?"

It was Vexen who spoke up with the answer. "Zexion… came to us ten years ago. He had no family save his younger sister, and no home to return to. We took him in, the original five of us, and pretty much adopted him as our own. But I don't think he's ever really gotten over what happened to his family. He's never told us, but I think it's something traumatic."

Naminé's eyes were wide. "I had no idea. I've been coming here for so long, and there's still so much I don't know…"

"If it's any comfort, we don't know either." Marluxia said. "He's a very private person, Zexion is. He adores his sister, and the rest of his adopted family, but he doesn't always tell us everything. Sometimes I don't think he realizes how big his family is." He frowned. "Zexion… doesn't like new people. I started dating Vexen, and came here to work, and then we found Saïx. That was back before the original owner, Ansem Wisen, died. It took months, and constant prodding from Mr. Wisen and Lexaeus, for him to open up to us. It took a week for him to even speak to us!"

Naminé nodded solemnly. "My brother… he likes to help people. Maybe he can help Zexion, if he can get close enough."

Vexen shrugged. "It's worth a shot." he said. "Zexion needs someone to truly be close to."

xXx

Zexion had swept back through the main room, ignoring Axel and Roxas, who had hopped up on stage and were doing an improv dance routine for the enthusiastic few on the floor. At least Axel hadn't started the 'Disco Inferno' track. Everyone but the redhead had grown to hate that song. He slipped into the back, ducking up the back stairs and to his room.

It was too big of a room for one person; big enough for all the normal furniture of a bedroom and a reading nook in one corner. Even with all of that, there was probably enough floor space for a full table and chairs as well.

He lay down on top of the rumpled sheets, staring sightlessly at the wall. It was a stupid reaction, and there was no good reason for him to act this way. But… just being reminded…

The door inched open, and his sister's dark head poked in. Blue-black to complement Zexion's blue-silver hair; that and their blue eyes were the only things that really marked them as siblings. Xion frowned worriedly, asking quietly, "Zexion? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Xion. I'm fine." he sighed. Xion didn't remember what had happened, and Zexion intended to keep it that way.

She didn't say anything else, but walked over and climbed up beside him, hugging him. "Axel says you have to play a girl in the show."

"Axel will die a terrible painful death. As will Xemnas."

"That's what you said when Axel set half the bar on fire while you were supposed to be watching it. He's still alive."

Zexion grumbled into her hair. "Be quiet, Xi."

Xion smiled, but said nothing else on the subject. "It's going to be okay, Zex."

Zexion sighed again, but nodded. "I know. I know. At least dressing in drag is the worst that can happen."

xXx

At five o'clock, Axel and Roxas made short work of shooing the remaining guests out of the nightclub, so that the employees could close down for two hours to prepare for the night rush. Saïx finally bothered to venture out of the back rooms, where his office was, holding a script just like Zexion's. The blue-haired man was Xemnas's assistant, and one of Axel's good friends. He spent most of the day working on paperwork, things like budgets and forms and bills because he was excellent with math, but occasionally he would come out to perform when they did a weapons exhibition.

"A Duke? Really?" the golden-eyed man asked. He flicked sapphire hair behind one shoulder, his gaze skimming over the script. When he finally glanced up to meet the look Axel shot him, he sighed. "Though, I'm not particularly thrilled to be fighting with you over Zexion. That's just a little bit much."

Roxas had grabbed his own script from a table in the corner, and was flipping through the ending. "Wait a minute! I have to be Saïx's servant? Oh, hell no!"

Axel grinned, sliding behind Roxas and wrapping his arms around the smaller blond. "Would you rather be _my_ servant, Roxas?" he purred in the boy's ear, running a hand suggestively along the hem of his shirt. Roxas squirmed, mumbling protests, and a cool voice cut into the conversation.

"Axel Lea Flynn, this is still my nightclub and you are still my employee. Please, wait until work is over to molest Roxas." As if proving Axel's theory that he had some sort of radar for when anyone was goofing off, Xemnas Nihil, current owner of Second Circle, drifted into the room. Sunset eyes took in the scene before him, and he frowned. "You are supposed to be rehearsing, yet you're standing here talking. And where is Riku? He was supposed to be here ten minute ago. I only gave him half the day off."

An eighteen-year-old, silver-haired boy promptly slammed into the glass front door, hard enough to give him an interesting "splat" appearance, but thankfully not hard enough to break the glass. All standing on the inside of said door turned to stare, and Roxas finally went over and unlocked it. Riku Mercuriae stumbled inside, panting. He had obviously run to get to the club from wherever he'd been. In between pants, he managed to say, "I had… things to discuss… with my older brother… I'm sorry I'm late."

Xemnas looked at him appraisingly. He didn't know much about Riku's family, but he had guessed quite a bit, and if he was right… well, it would explain the boy's lateness. It wasn't like the club was even open to the public right now anyway. "You are forgiven, Riku, provided you work hard at rehearsal."

Riku blinked. "Oh, right. I'm playing the girl's father." He looked around curiously. "Where is Zexion? He's not the sort to miss something important like this."

The little group glanced at each other and then at Xemnas, who only raised an eyebrow. Roxas sighed. "I'll go get him, you babies. Honestly…" The blond boy ducked from the room, and Xemnas turned to Axel.

"What has upset Zexion?"

Axel chuckled. "He's not too pleased about casting for this particular play, if you know what I mean, Superior."

Xemnas actually smiled at that, giving Axel the idea that he was enjoying this a little too much. "Unfortunately, Zexion will just have to deal with it. We can't exactly switch the parts now." He looked over at Riku, who had collapsed into a chair to regain his breath, and sighed. Riku had come to them begging for a job, and Xemnas, like the owner before him, had adopted a habit of taking in abandoned strays.

Saïx had been found one night, sitting on the doorstep at closing. He'd been in a fight with his parents, and had left his house. Ansem had felt bad for the young man, and offered him a place to stay for the night. Three days later, Saïx made up with his parents, and returned to Second Circle to ask for a job. Ansem had agreed to take him on as an assistant. When Ansem died, he stayed on as Xemnas's assistant.

Roxas was spending more time at the nightclub than at his home, and they weren't entirely sure why. His parents were travelling the world, and his overprotective older brother was looking after him and his twin. From what they'd figured out, his older brother didn't know where he worked. And Axel had been thrown out of his home for his pyro tendencies, and had come to the city's underground to commit suicide. Saïx had found him and stopped him, introducing him to Second Circle, where they weren't going to judge him for his love of fire. The redhead and the blunet had become best friends, and Axel had stayed with Saïx's family until he was old enough to get his own apartment.

And, speaking of abandoned strays…

Roxas padded back out into the main room, a thoroughly disgruntled Zexion trailing after. The silveret was carrying his script, and when his bright blue eyes met Xemnas's own sunset-colored gaze, he scowled.

"Why do you do this to me?"

Xemnas smiled. "Zexion, you know that I don't do these things to you on purpose. It's just that no one else who is available is quite as well-suited for the part."

Zexion growled unintelligibly and forced himself to ask, "What part are we rehearsing?"

"Well, Riku needs to work on memorizing his lines, and Saïx and Roxas are going to work on the scene where the Duke plots to make you his wife." Xemnas said airily. "I thought that you and Axel could work on the ballroom scene." He said it in such a way that it was clearly an order and not a thought at all, and drifted from the room again immediately after. Zexion watched him go in disbelief. All that, and he wasn't going to stay to supervise? The man wasn't all there in the head.

Axel walked over, putting a hand on Zexion's shoulder. "We should do as he says. He'll know if we don't, you know, with his creepy omniscience thing?" He smiled cheekily. "Do you know how to waltz, Zex?"

"If you try to kiss me I will severely hurt you." Zexion replied. Axel took that to mean 'yes' and dragged the younger boy off to the dance floor to practice.

xXx

Hours later, after the nightclub had reopened and closed again, the redhead was walking his blond boyfriend home. They had waved goodbye to Xaldin, Second Circle's other bouncer, who was locking up the front doors, and set off down the dark streets. It was after midnight, and the streets could be dangerous, especially for someone who, as Axel put it, was "as cute and molest-able" as Roxas. Roxas had elbowed him in the ribs, but walked hand in hand with him all the same.

They were about halfway to Roxas's house when Axel finally worked up the nerve to ask something that had been bothering him for a while.

"Say, Roxas… How come I've never gotten to meet your family?"

Roxas's steps hesitated for a second, but then he resumed walking like normal. "My older brother… He's really overprotective of me and my twin. I mean… I don't know how he'd react to me having a boyfriend five years older than me. I'm still jailbait, Axel."

"It's not like we've done anything!" Axel protested, causing Roxas to turn pink. "Seriously, is your brother a homophobe or something?"

"Nah…" Roxas shook his head. "He just wants what's best for me, you know? He's probably gay himself…"

Axel raised an eyebrow. "Really? Huh. Nice to know it's genetic, Roxy."

Roxas groaned. "Axel, just shut up."

"Should I shoot him for you?"

Both looked up, Axel instinctively pushing Roxas behind him, before they recognized their sniper friend. "Xigbar, don't do that! It's not nice to go around scaring people!" They had just seen the man earlier that day, and he'd still managed to make them jump. The sniper was a regular during Second Circle's day hours.

"Sorry, kids." Xigbar grinned, shouldering his elaborate purple handgun. "You being a good boy, Roxas? Not letting Axel get the better of your virtue, are you?"

Roxas flushed, mumbling something embarrassedly. Axel grinned broadly and slung an arm around the shorter boy's shoulders. "I'm just walking him home, Xig. Yeesh, get your mind out of the gutter." Hugging Roxas close to his side, he changed the subject, asking, "So are you working, or stalking us?"

Xigbar sighed, a shadow instantly falling over his expression. "Working my extra job. I've been at it for years, and still haven't completed the assignment."

"What is it?" Roxas asked curiously.

"Offing someone, of course." Xigbar rolled his eyes. "Course, I've got to find them first, and man did my employers leave out on the details. It was some kid or two at the time, but they probably look totally different now. Even the people looking for them don't have a clue. Makes my job a lot harder." He sighed. "Oh well. Haven't found them in years. One more night won't hurt." He tipped his gun to them, waving. "I'm heading home. Watch yourselves."

"Bye, Xigbar." Roxas called, and Axel waved too, before they hurried on in the direction of Roxas's house.

It was really more of an apartment, a three-bedroom flat above a curiosity shop. Axel paused at the door of the shop, near the stairs, leaning down to give Roxas a chaste kiss goodnight before turning to leave. But for the second time that night, a voice came out of nowhere and startled both dancers.

"Roxas, who's that?"

Roxas glared at the stairs that went up to the front door of the flat, where an identical-looking blond boy was sitting about seven steps up, leaning on the railing and smiling. Frowning at his twin, Roxas asked shortly, "Why are you up?"

"Cloud's starting to actually think about the stories you're feeding him." Roxas's twin replied, his grin widening. "He was wondering earlier what type of business other than a strip club is open this late. You didn't answer my question, Rox. Who's that?"

"It's not a strip club!" Roxas yelped. "This… this is my boyfriend, Axel Flynn. Axel, this is my twin, Ventus."

"Ven. You know I hate my full name, Roxas!" Ven objected. He descended the stairs two at a time to shake Axel's hand. "So you're Roxas's boyfriend… Don't hurt him, or I'll sic Cloud and my best friend's boyfriend on you!"

"Ven!" Roxas yelped. "He doesn't need to be threatened with Cloud and Terra! He's a good guy!"

Axel laughed softly, wrapping his arms around Roxas in a hug from behind. Kissing him on the cheek, he said cheerfully, "It's good that your brother's worried about you, Rox. Go inside and get some sleep. We've got rehearsing to do tomorrow." He ruffled the blond's hair, nodding to Ven before walking back off into the dark streets. Ven watched him until he was out of sight, then glanced at Roxas.

"Good catch!"

"Shut up…" Roxas grumbled good-naturedly. "Let's go in before Cloud notices we're still outside." He lead the way up the stairs to their flat, exhausted from all the rehearsing they had done, plus the routine they had run that evening during night hours. He wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed. Ven followed him, smiling. All in all, a good night to have waited up for his twin to get home.

xXx

Despite the fact that it was after one, the city itself wasn't asleep. And alone in the empty nightclub, Zexion was sitting on the stage, staring across the deserted dance floor and simply thinking. Xion was in bed, having given up on sitting with her brother in favor of sleep, but he was finding it much harder to keep his eyes shut.

He drifted into the back room, pulling a thick book from the shelves and settling on the worn sofa. Might as well read if he couldn't sleep. And it would keep his mind off the nightmares he would inevitably have when he finally did close his eyes. He opened the book, pulling his knees up and balancing the book against them, losing himself in a world of wizards, enchanters, and magic. He didn't even notice as his eyes started to drift closed, or when he finally fell asleep, the book held to his chest. And as if the crisp pages were some sort of talisman, he actually slept without nightmares.

* * *

So, what do you guys think? I'm having fun, how about you? XD

I've written up to chapter 10, so updates should be fairly regular. We'll just have to see.

Li

Reader Quest – the origin of Axel, Zexion, Naminé, and Xemnas's last names  
Song list: Twister (from The World Ends With You), The Other Promise (from Kingdom Hearts)


	3. What the Shadows Hide

**What the Shadows Hide**

Two days passed normally, with the exception of rehearsals during the closed hours each day. Costumes were fitted, much to Zexion's displeasure, and lines were slowly memorized. During extra time, they worked on a new routine for the end of the day shift, to go out with a bang before the play started. Visitors were used to the odd assortment of events at Second Circle, whether it was plays, karaoke nights, Ring of Fire Day, or any number of crazy things that Xemnas and his employees came up with.

Although, Xemnas drew the line when Axel jokingly suggested Emo Day, in honor of Zexion. Said silveret hadn't spoken to Axel for two days, and Axel got a nasty whack upside the head from Lexaeus. You _did not_ mess with Zexion when the bouncer was around, and everyone knew it.

There was a lull in people sometime in the middle of the day shift, and Zexion was helping Riku move some boxes that had been dropped off at the front door. They were supplies for the Oblivion Bar, and the truck hadn't been able to get around the back of the building. The alleys were too narrow for driving. Together, the two boys had been able to get all of the boxes safely into the bar without guests trampling them, and had collapsed on a sofa near the front door. Natural light from the windows streamed in to illuminate their little corner, but both were too worn-down to appreciate it.

"My arms hurt!" Riku exclaimed. He glanced over at the dance floor, mostly full of younger teens, and sighed. The bar wasn't open during the day shift, one in the afternoon until five, so it was high schoolers and younger who made up a majority of the daytime crowd. Night shift was when the bar opened, and when they started checking IDs.

"You can climb poles and do back handsprings effortlessly, but carrying boxes makes you sore?" Zexion shot back, though his arms ached too. Bottles of liquor were heavier than they looked, and Vexen had ordered enough to keep the alcohol flowing for a month, at least, assuming there were no special occasions.

Riku rolled his eyes. "Never mind."

He stared out the row of wall-to-wall windows that made up the front of the club for a moment, and an odd expression passed over his face. But before Zexion could ask about it, the other had gotten up and said quickly, "I'm going to help Marluxia with the dishes." He hurried off, brushing past Lexaeus and disappearing into Oblivion. Zexion knew this was abnormal, since Riku hated dishes with a passion, but didn't even have time to wonder what the matter was before the front door opened and two tall, silver-haired men dressed in black leather came through the door.

"This is it?" The one who spoke was strong-looking, the type who seemed like he could bench-press a motorcycle. His hair was short and flipped up in the back, and his eyes were a dark green.

"Yes, here." The other had long hair, hanging to his waist, and brighter sea-green eyes. He was slender, almost feminine, but Zexion could tell he was just as strong as his companion. He turned his electric eyes on Zexion, walking over gracefully and asking politely, "How long is this club open?"

"Until five." Zexion said warily. "We close at five to prepare for the night hours, and reopen at seven." There was something about these two that made him nervous, and he couldn't place what it was.

"I see." The long haired man glanced at his companion, and then queried, "Is Riku Mercuriae here? We would like to speak with him."

"He won't be in until tonight." Zexion said immediately. He wasn't sure why he was lying to this man, who looked an awful lot like Riku, but he didn't trust the polite façade that the man was putting up. Looking around, he caught Lexaeus's eye, and realized that the bouncer was looking at him worriedly, prepared to move if it looked like Zexion needed him.

"Will you give him a message when he gets here?" The older man asked. "Tell him, please, that Altima and Afriel would like to speak to him, and we will come back later." He turned, motioning to his muscular friend, and both left as suddenly as they had come.

Zexion waited until they were out of sight before getting up and going to speak to Lexaeus. The older man was like a brother to him; they had been close since Zexion had first come to Second Circle, and Lexaeus had watched his entire conversation carefully. When Zexion reached him, Lexaeus motioned him to the back room. He exchanged quick words with Xaldin, who went out to take his place. They didn't need someone watching the front door, since there were no age restrictions during the day, but there were always hooligans trying to sneak into the bar.

The back room was empty of employees at this time of day. There was a semi-circle of mismatched couches and chairs around a small coffee table, and a little TV sat all alone on a stand against the opposite wall. Zexion sat down on one of the couchs, and Lexaeus took a seat nearby. "Who were they?" the bouncer asked quietly.

"They were looking for Riku. They gave their names as Altima and Afriel. I lied. Riku's in the back of the bar with Marluxia, washing dishes, but I told them he wouldn't be in until tonight. They intend to come back, I think." Zexion frowned. "Do the names sound familiar to you?"

Lexaeus's face remained calm, but Zexion could still detect the hint of worry in his tone. "Are you familiar with the Angels?"

"Only as a name." Zexion replied. "All I know is that they are one of the gangs in the city. I don't keep up with gang activity."

"Altima and Afriel are not their real names. I don't know who they really are, but those are the names used in public by the Blood-Stained Angel and the Angel of Youth." Lexaeus said. "I do not know why they are looking for Riku, but it can't be anything good. From what I understand, those two are high in the chain of command as well. They serve under Phiros, the One-Winged Angel, who leads the whole thing."

"I don't… I don't like the gangs and the powerful families." Zexion said quietly. "I would prefer not to be involved with anything. Should I speak to Riku, or just allow them to come back?"

"I would at least let him know their intentions. If he is somehow connected to them, perhaps he will be able to head off any incidents that may or may not take place." Lexaeus said reasonably. He was silent for a few moments, watching Zexion nod, and then asked, "Zexion, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. All this talk of gangs makes me nervous." Zexion said, lacing his fingers and staring at his knees. "After all, was a small group not assassinated mere weeks ago for attempting to cheat the Gambler of Fate?"

"And you said you don't keep up with gang activity." Lexaeus smiled, amused, and Zexion opened his mouth to retort and then closed it. Lexaeus stood, walking around the coffee table and ruffling the younger boy's hair, as if he were still a child. "Do not worry, Zexion. I'm sure everything will be fine." He strode back out to the main room, since technically it was his shift, not Xaldin's. Zexion stayed in the back room for a few more minutes, before taking the other door to the hallway, heading past Xemnas and Saïx's offices and into the kitchens to find Riku.

xXx

Riku had been… well, 'displeased' was an understatement.

"They can't come here, to where I work…!" he spluttered indignantly. "This is my thing, not theirs! I can't believe this…"

Zexion watched his friend's semi-tantrum, finally interrupting what was sure to be a _fascinating_ rant about 'stupid arrogant bastards who think they own everything' to ask quietly, "Riku… do you have some sort of connection to the Angels?"

Riku slammed his fist into the counter, rattling the nearly full rack of dishes and causing Marluxia, who was making no effort to hide his eavesdropping, look up. Riku scowled furiously. "I want nothing to do with them! But they seem to think that I should be one of them, that it's the right thing for me to do…" He glanced at Marluxia, and said in a quieter voice, "I don't want them here. I'll speak to them tonight, but I'm taking it outside. I don't want anything to happen in the building."

"If you think this will dissolve into a fight, stay in sight of the doors." Zexion advised. "Xaldin will help you if things look bad. We protect our own, and you're part of the family."

Riku smiled weakly. "And to think, three years ago you didn't like me."

Zexion scoffed. "You're lucky we took you. Xemnas wasn't happy with the idea of being responsible for _another_ fifteen-year-old dancer. I was bad enough."

"Hey, Roxas was sixteen when he joined!"

"And he's been here a year, and sixteen is old enough to get a job in the real world."

"This isn't the real world?"

Zexion rolled his eyes, but internally he was smiling. The playful banter was enough to get Riku's mind off of whatever problem he had with the Angels, and that was good enough for the moment. "No, this is Second Circle. Reality warps when you walk through the door." With a dismissive wave of his hand, he left Riku to finish with the dishes he had hastily volunteered for, and returned to the back room. There was a ladder very thinly disguised as a half-empty bookshelf in one corner, and Zexion scaled it quickly, slipping onto the ledge that ran across one side of the room and heading through another door. The ledge was formed by a small storage closet that was only half as high as the room's extra-high ceiling. The door led to a platform above the stage, and it's only feature was a ladder that lead to the catwalks.

Lights and sound equipment didn't fix themselves when broken, and the catwalks were there to make it easier. The catwalks themselves were the solid walkways, while Zexion had coined the term 'skywalks' for the swinging platforms that led between them. It was these he was interested in, nimbly hopping from platform to platform to reach an alcove hidden high in the wall above the stage. It was fairly large for an alcove, roomy enough for a small battery-operated lamp and a few pillows, and it was Zexion's "spot". He had his bedroom, sure, but everyone knew where that was. This was his secret. He didn't have to return to ground level until closing hour, so coming up here to unwind had seemed like the perfect idea. Reaching under a pillow, he pulled out the book he had started a few nights ago, and settled down to read.

xXx

Xion was playing cards with Axel and Roxas in the closed bar, learning the basics of Hearts. They had asked Vexen if he wanted to play, but he was busy going through the boxes that Riku and Zexion had moved. Normally, they wouldn't be playing cards in the middle of day shift, but there was less of a need for the dancers and performers when it was younger teens on the floor. And Lexaeus could handle whatever problems might arise.

Axel tossed out an eight of hearts, Roxas threw down a five of spades, and Xion laid out a two of clubs, causing Axel to groan and pick up his fourth lost trick in a row.

"Damn, Xi, we need to stop playing now. We save your amazing beginner's luck and pit you against the Gambler, we'll be rich!"

Roxas snorted. "Beginner's luck won't save you against that guy!"

"Who?" Xion asked. Unlike her paranoid brother, she truly _didn't_ pay attention to the underground of the city.

Axel grinned, reaching out to collect the cards to reshuffle the deck. "Master Luxord, the Gambler of Fate. He runs the biggest underground gambling ring in the city. All the gangs go to him for wagers on anything, whatever they need. He's close with the Angels, one of the biggest gangs in the city since the last really powerful family was assassinated. Although, supposedly all of the Angels' high command is related. They're all brothers, or something."

"The Gambler is also unbeatable in a direct game." Roxas pointed out. "Everybody thinks he cheats, since no one is _that_ good, but no one's been able to prove it."

Xion blinked, picking up the cards that Axel dealt. "Then why would anybody play him?"

"For the challenge." Axel said. He glanced at his own hand, then asked, "So, Xi, are you staying out tonight?" Despite not being an employee and not being of age, Xion stayed out to dance sometimes during the night shift. She was learning from her brother and all of her friends, and was doing very well. After all, Riku had started dancing at fifteen, and Zexion even younger. She had to admit, it was better that she and Zexion had ended up here instead of a strip club or a brothel. There were a few of those scattered around the city's underground.

"I thought I would. If you guys don't mind watching out for me." Xemnas's only rule regarding Xion was that one of the older employees be with her at all times. The bar was open during the night, and he didn't want anything to happen, accident or not.

Riku walked in from the door behind the bar, obviously free from dish duty, and came around to take the chair next to Xion's. "Hey, guys. Deal me in?"

Axel sighed, but grabbed the deck to reshuffle again. "What's going on, Riku? We heard you spazzing in there earlier."

"Nothing." Riku replied shortly. "I have to meet with some people tonight."

"Is it bad?" Xion asked, fixing worried blue eyes on him.

He smiled faintly. "I'll be alright, Xion. Don't worry." He reached over and patted her on the head, and she growled at him good-naturedly.

"I'm not a little kid anymore, Riku!"

"Of course not."

Roxas spoke quickly, changing the subject, "Are you going to tell Xemnas you can't work for part of tonight?"

"I was going to wait till we close, before rehearsal starts." The whole table grimaced at the idea of the stupid play. Riku eyed the cards he had been dealt, continuing, "Can you believe we have to perform that thing on Friday? Two more days… at least it's only a one-night performance."

"No one is more thrilled about that than my brother." Xion laughed. "Poor Zex, stuck playing a girl…"

There was a brief attempt to stifle chuckles, but the table was quickly laughing at Zexion's misfortune. Roxas managed to start off the first trick, and they were distracted once again by the card game.

xXx

When the night shift began, Riku stationed himself just inside the front doors, watching. He didn't want the Angels inside Second Circle again if he could help it. Behind him, he caught a glimpse reflected in the windows of the flickering lights that signaled Axel performing some sort of routine with fire. Despite the concentration that such a thing obviously took, he could still feel the redhead's malachite eyes burning holes in his back. Roxas and Xion were watching him too, as were Lexaeus and Zexion. It was only proof of how close Second Circle's employees were; each of them was willing to come and help him if he needed it.

Riku had been surprised that Xemnas had so readily agreed to let him off working, but he had a sneaking suspicion that if Xemnas didn't already know all of his problems, he had guessed. There was a reason that the running joke was that the man was omniscient. And/or banging Saïx, but that was really none of their business, true or not.

He spotted the two coming before they reached the doors, and hurried out into the dark street to head them off. Barely registering Xaldin's reassuring nod, he strode purposefully forward, hands raised to block the way.

The one who had introduced himself to Zexion as 'Altima' raised an eyebrow. "What is this, Riku? Surely you don't intend to start a fight."

Riku laughed sharply and without humor. "Wouldn't think of it. You can say whatever you want to right here."

The other, Afriel, laughed for real. "He doesn't change, does he, Brother?"

"I want nothing to do with you." Riku growled. "Stay away from Second Circle, and stay away from me."

"Riku…" Altima began. "See reason…"

"I'm through with your 'reasoning'." Riku said in a low voice. "Your persuasion doesn't work on me, _Yazoo_. I don't care how successful it is with others. You and Loz can just go home. I don't want to hear it."

Yazoo frowned, irritated at their real names being spoken in public. "Gabriel will be unhappy if you don't come back with us."

"_Kadaj_ can just suffer, then." Riku knew who they were talking about. The youngest sibling was two years Riku's junior, a sixteen-year-old with a fiery temper when provoked. It still amazed Riku that he held such a high position, the gang's Angel of Death. "And tell Sephiroth that I have no intention of _ever_ being one of you. Just leave me the hell alone." He turned away to go back inside, and Yazoo reached out to grab his arm, holding him in place. Riku stiffened at the unwanted contact, and there was venom in his voice as he hissed, "Let go of me."

"At least…" Yazoo began, sounding somewhat uncertain. "At least tell me why you choose to turn us down. The Seekers are moving again; they have an assassin out, we just discovered. There's a chance that everything could be beginning again. _Tell me why you won't come with us_." He looked pale and stressed under the glow from the club's neon sign.

"Because." Riku said simply. "My family is right here, and they are all I need." He ripped his arm from Yazoo's grasp, walking back into the nightclub. Xaldin fixed the two Angels with a decidedly unwelcoming stare, and both took a step back.

"Should we go after him?" Loz asked, staring back at the bouncer with equal hostility.

"No." Yazoo replied. "Morningstar has made his decision. We will tell Sephiroth that his Fallen Angel shall not be coming home." He set off down the dark streets with a swish of his long black coat, Loz following after a moment, as they disappeared back into the twisting underground of the Deep Dive City.

xXx

Xion and Roxas rushed Riku almost as soon as he came back inside. He made a conscious effort to relax his tense shoulders and smooth the scowl from his face. Xion threw her arms around him, asking worriedly, "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "I'm fine." He wrapped an arm around her, returning the hug.

"What did they want?" Roxas asked, blue eyes wide with curiosity.

"The Angels want me to join them, and I keep saying no. I think they finally got the picture." Riku sighed. "If they didn't… well, I'll sic Lexaeus and Xaldin on them. That'll teach them."

"Xemnas doesn't allow gang activity in here." Roxas murmured. "They can come in, as long as they come as people, not representatives of whatever gang."

"I know. That's why I cut them off outside. I don't want them here." Riku said. He glanced up at the stage, where Axel was finishing his routine, and smiled. "Want to go improv with me, Roxas? Maybe I can actually earn my paycheck tonight."

Roxas laughed. "Sure. Xion…"

Xion rolled her eyes. "I'll go hang out with Lexaeus or something. Don't worry about me." She skipped off to bother her brother and Lexaeus, and Riku and Roxas wove through the crowd to the stage. Axel jumped down, using Roxas's shoulder to steady himself and almost knocking the boy over.

"You two going up?"

"Yeah." Roxas grinned, and Axel clapped him on the shoulder.

"Good luck. They're already entertained, so it should be nothing to keep their attention. Turn on some techno and let's go!" Axel darted off into the crowd to be 'entertaining and engaging', quote Xemnas, while Roxas and Riku vaulted onstage. Once upon a time, when they'd first started doing spontaneous performances, some of the guests had thought it was a signal that it was okay to just climb onstage. A stern talking-to from Lexaeus and Xaldin later, it was clear that the only people allowed onstage were employees.

"Acrobatics or normal dance?" Riku asked, heading for the music booth.

Roxas spun around and threw his arms in the air, and the crowd cheered. "I don't care. Let's just play around. They don't know we haven't planned a routine."

"Anything but 'Disco Inferno', then." Riku grinned, vanishing into the booth. There was a lull as he searched for a track, and 'Call on Me' by Eric Prydz came on. He reappeared, bouncing in time to the beat of the music, and said quickly, "Capoeira?"

Capoeira was a martial art heavily based in dance and acrobatics. All of Second Circle's dancers had some degree of skill in it, though Axel and Roxas were the best. Zexion was next, and even though Riku wasn't as good as the other three, he could still hold his own.

Roxas nodded enthusiastically, and immediately fell into ginga, the basic stance. Riku did the same, swaying back and forth in time to the music. They moved fluidly, kicks and cartwheels almost second nature for them. Neither ever actually made contact with the other, dodging each other's blows gracefully. Practical capoeira could be used against an assailant, and worked well when you didn't have strength advantage, but performance capoeira was essentially a glorified form of showing-off.

The crowd cheered for them, and Riku felt himself grinning uncontrollably. This was where he belonged; not with the Angels or anything else out in the street. He belonged here, performing with his friends.

The music ended, and the two teens took their bows as another song came on. Both left the stage, leaving the guests to go back to dancing on their own. Riku glanced at Roxas, asking lightly, "So, are you ready for the big routine on Friday?"

"I don't think we've ever tried the circus poles with all four of us before." Roxas replied. "It should be interesting. We just have to be careful, though, since we're all in the play. If one of us gets hurt…"

"We'll be fine." Riku laughed. "It's the part where we have to get to the stage that worries me. What if we get stuck in the crowd?"

"Nah." Roxas said. "I think everyone knows who we are by now. We shouldn't have any problems!" He hurried off to find Axel, and Riku sighed. Roxas always had so much energy. It was ridiculous. He turned towards the bar. Vexen was usually a stickler for the age limits when the bar was actually open, but he could be persuaded. And after the evening he'd had, Riku needed a drink. On the way through the door, he glanced at the large ornamental clock on the side wall and sighed.

It was only seven-thirty.

* * *

The plot thickens... XD

Final Fantasy in all of its wonder will be showing up here, and Disney will be making an appearance eventually. But we can't have Sephiroth without his younger siblings!

Enjoy!  
Li

Reader Quest – find the origin of the name Altima and the title "Blood-Stained Angel"  
Song list: Above the Rising Falls by OC Remix, Call on Me by Eric Prydz


	4. The Stage is Set for Love at First Sight

**The Stage is Set for Love at First Sight**

Friday came sooner than anyone in the nightclub would have wished. There wouldn't be any cause for worry if not for the stupid play, which Axel was convinced Xemnas had written himself. It would explain why he was being such a fanatic about putting it on. But putting on the play was later. Getting through the day shift, and the grand finale routine they had planned, came first.

In a townhouse near the edge of the city, Naminé O'Donohue made her way cautiously up the stairs, watching the crooked step about halfway up. The eldest of the O'Donohue siblings, Larxene, was long-gone, working a relatively entertaining job at a tattoo parlor in the Alley to Between. Naminé was on her way to wake up her brother, who was coming with her to Second Circle to scope out the place where he would hopefully have a job after tonight.

"Demyx!" she called, pushing open the door, sighing when she saw that he was still in bed. She picked her way across the room, dodging various musical instruments, and scribbly stacks of half-written song lyrics, to reach the side of the bed and shake her lazy brother. "Demyx, you have to get up and take a shower. Eat something. Style your hair. We're leaving for Second Circle in two hours."

"What time do they open?" Demyx mumbled sleepily.

"One o'clock. How late did you stay up writing?"

"Only till two. If they open at one, what time is it now?"

"One."

"WHAT?" Naminé was forced to jump back as the musician practically flew out of bed, his usual mullet-like hairstyle significantly more messy than usual. He began to search his dresser for his nicest t-shirt and pair of jeans, shooing Naminé from the room with one hand. "I'll be ready, I promise!"

Naminé rolled her eyes and went to pack her sketchbook and colored pencils. Normally she would have let him sleep longer, but Demyx took absolutely forever in the shower, frequently used all the hot water, and then took even longer to style his hair. Plus he had intended to take some of the songs he had written to show Xemnas, and he would probably agonize over which ones for quite a while too. Naminé settled down at the kitchen table, a plate of leftover waffles sitting in the microwave for Demyx, and began to draw.

xXx

By the time Demyx came downstairs with a folder of notebook paper clutched in one hand, she had finished a rather accurate drawing of Axel from memory. She pointed at the microwave, and Demyx went to start the timer. Then he came back and looked over Naminé's shoulder.

"That's really good, Nami." he complimented. "Who is it?"

"Axel Flynn. He's one of Second Circle's dancers. He'll be your co-worker if you get this job." Naminé explained. "He's a good guy. Everyone who works there is. Riku, Roxas, Vexen and Marluxia…" She trailed off, trying to shade the illusion of flames licking at the dancer's feet. It required utter concentration, and Demyx knew better than to interrupt her when she was focused. He retrieved his waffles from the microwave, sitting down to eat something. He figured he would need the energy. It was a twenty-minute walk from their house in the Nothing's Call district to the nightclub. Glancing at the clock, he practically inhaled his waffles, wanting as much time as possible to look around the nightclub before he had to talk to Xemnas.

"Say, Naminé, when am I supposed to talk to the boss again?"

"During closed hours, while everyone else is getting ready for the play." Naminé replied, coloring Axel's hair a vibrant shade of red. "He agreed to talk to you, since they don't have a DJ or anything."

"What do they have?" Demyx asked incredulously.

"Multiple CD players and things, strung together." Naminé replied. "I think they're trying to talk Xemnas into a computer, but he hasn't caved yet."

Demyx took a huge bite of waffles, thinking for a moment before asking with his mouth full, "Does this guy Xemnas have a last name? It doesn't sound very polite for me to walk in and call him by his first name."

Naminé smiled. "He's Xemnas Nihil. All of his employees call him by his given name, and I guess I just picked up the habit from them." Naminé had been visiting Second Circle for about a year and a half, after wandering in one day while looking for good subjects to draw. She had been fascinated by the architecture and atmosphere, as well as the odd assortment of people working there. She had become close with many of the employees after they noticed that she was there on a daily basis, and they gave her special privilege as a result. She was allowed in the bar during day shift when it was closed, and Xaldin allowed her in at night when normally they asked for ID. The club's age restriction allowed in no one younger than nineteen at night, and no one under twenty-one was allowed to drink. It was an oxymoron for a club that employed seventeen and eighteen-year-olds as part of the staff. To be fair, Vexen only allowed them to drink _some_ of the time, and he lowered the actual alcohol level in the drinks he mixed for them…

Demyx dumped his plate in the sink, and began to flip through his folder of music nervously. "Do you think they'll like me? You talk about all of them like they're family, and it would suck to be an outsider…"

Naminé got up, blinking at her older brother. His ocean-eyes were wide with nervousness, and she smiled as she packed up her art supplies. "You'll be fine, Demyx. They have no reason not to like you."

xXx

"Nami! You said this wasn't a strip club!"

Naminé frowned, rolling her eyes and dragging Demyx to one of the couches near the front of the club, forcing him to sit. "You're lucky no one can hear you, Dem. Seriously, calm down. It's okay."

Demyx pointed wordlessly at the stage, where four silver poles were mounted from floor to ceiling. Naminé sighed, explaining quickly, "Those are the circus poles. They've used them a couple of times before. It's not what it looks like, Dem, trust me." She nudged him in the shoulder. "Go look around, dance, have fun. I'm going to stay here and draw."

Demyx hesitated, but obeyed. It was easy to get lost in the crowd, just feeling the beat of the music and letting it move him. He decided that it wouldn't be so bad to work here, if Naminé was right and it wasn't a strip club. The music and the sense of just being one with the beat were intoxicating. Time didn't seem to be passing, but Demyx was finally jerked from his semi-trance when a pink-haired man stepped up onstage and took the microphone. Was it really five o'clock already?

"Hey, everyone!" he called. The crowd cheered, obviously recognizing him, but Demyx was left clueless. The pink-haired man continued, "To make up for the fact that we're not opening the dance floor tonight, we've planned a special routine for the end of the day here. So let's have a round of applause for our dancers!" He disappeared into the music booth, and the crowd clapped enthusiastically. Demyx looked around, wondering what was going to happen, and the song "Palladio" by Escala came on. He looked back at the stage, and froze.

There was a figure on the stage, though Demyx wasn't sure if it was a boy or a girl. He assumed a boy from their figure, but really couldn't tell. Ocean-colored eyes locked with a single ice-blue eye, the other covered by a curtain of silver-blue hair, and Demyx was entranced. The slender dancer began to move, flowing like water across the stage, perfectly in tune with the music. Demyx watched in wonder, and his eyes widened when the boy moved to one of the poles and _ran_ up the side of it, only feet and hands in contact with the cool metal. He hooked both legs around the pole, hanging upside down for a moment before beginning to slide headfirst towards the floor.

Demyx and several others in the crowd gasped, but the dancer came to a halt mere inches from the floor. He swung effortlessly around the pole, moving gracefully between it and another nearby pole, looking for all the world like he was flying.

He dropped to the stage, darting to the edge and extending a hand into the audience. Demyx was surprised to see him pull another onto the stage, a tall man with flaming red hair. This must be Axel, the one Naminé had been drawing.

They moved in perfect sync, and Demyx could appreciate how hard they must have worked to choreograph their routine. They each climbed a pole on opposite sides of the stage, bracing their feet and back-flipping off in unison. They landed together on a mat in the middle, safely on the ground, and moved back to the edge of the stage, on opposite sides.

Demyx watched the redhead pull another silver-haired man up, and then looked forward to see the ice-eyed dancer looking, seemingly, right at him, hand extended. Demyx didn't know what possessed him, but he reached out, taking the hand and stepping up onstage. He caught a brief glimpse of a blond boy staring at him in incredulous panic, but then he was up there and the world seemed to stop.

The beautiful dancer had released his hand and taken a step back, smile still on his face, but anger in his eyes. He spun away, continuing the choreography as the blond boy vaulted onstage and forcibly pushed Demyx towards the side stairs. "Move, you idiot!"

Demyx fled, watching the rest of the routine from the side, his face scarlet. Easily, it was the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to him. As the performance finished, and people began to file out of the club, he crept back over to where Naminé was sitting and sank onto a chair miserably. "I feel like a loser. Can we go?"

"I thought you wanted this job." Naminé replied. "You're the one who asked me to mention you to Xemnas."

"Nami…" Demyx groaned. They watched the last of the teenagers file out the front door and employees disappear into the back, and Naminé nudged him in the shoulder.

"Go on!" she urged, gathering her supplies. "I'm going in Oblivion. I'll be there when you're done." Demyx caught a brief glimpse of the picture she'd been drawing, the pink-haired man who had announced the dance routine, before she closed the sketchbook and hurried in the direction of the bar.

Demyx nervously approached the door to the back room, and opened it a crack before peering inside. Taking a deep breath, he steeled his nerves and pushed the door open all the way, stepping into the room with as much boldness as he could muster.

The silveret whose hand he had taken, the one with the icy-blue eyes, was complaining to the red-headed Axel. Demyx didn't even hear what he was complaining about. He had an amazing voice.

"…and people ought to _know_ by now that they are not allowed onstage! I can't believe that fool did that…!"

Demyx stiffened as bright aqua-green eyes focused on him, and the silveret stopped to see what his friend was looking at. "Wonderful. He didn't realize we're _closed_ either, or that people aren't allowed back here!"

"Hey!" Demyx exclaimed, feeling like he should be defending himself. "I'm here to see Mr. Nihil. I'm trying to get a job doing music."

The red-head brightened. "You must be Nami's brother! I'm Axel Flynn. The adorable ball of emo there is Zexion Ishida." He came over and slung an arm around Demyx's shoulders, ignoring Zexion as the younger huffed and stormed off up the stairs. "So, what's your name?"

"Demyx. Demyx O'Donohue." Demyx replied, feeling himself beginning to smile. This wasn't so bad.

Axel grinned. "Demyx, huh? Come on, I'll show you Xemnas's office. This way!" He led Demyx through a different door than the one he had come through, into a hallway. They made their way past several doors, until Axel stopped at one and knocked loudly. "Hey, Superior! The musician's here to see you!"

The door opened after a moment and puzzled orange eyes regarded the pair curiously. "Which musician?"

"Naminé's brother." Axel elaborated.

Xemnas nodded. "That's right. Come in, please." He opened the door all the way, and Axel waved at Demyx before scampering back down the hall. Demyx slowly entered the office, taking the plush chair that was indicated to him, and watched Xemnas sit down on the other side of the desk and steeple his fingers. The nightclub owner's orange gaze was decidedly disconcerting.

"So, your name? I am Xemnas Nihil, owner of Second Circle." Xemnas said.

Demyx tried very hard not to stutter as he replied, "Umm… Demyx O'Donohue, sir. I'm Naminé's older brother."

"You may call me Xemnas. All of my employees do. Miss Naminé said nothing but wonderful things about you, Demyx." Xemnas said. "I think it is an excellent idea to employ a real musician here, since the dancers do not always… have the best taste in music." A pained expression flashed across his face for an instant, then was gone so quickly Demyx was certain he had imagined it. "So, Demyx, what instrument do you play?"

"I can play the sitar." Demyx said proudly. "And normal guitar, any kind. Acoustic, electric, bass… I've learned all of them."

Xemnas nodded approvingly. "Naminé mentioned that you write your own songs?"

"Yes!" Demyx fumbled for his music folder, drawing out a few sheets and passing them to the older man. "Here. They're… I mean, I like them… I guess…" He trailed off rather helplessly, watching Xemnas's unsettling eyes dart over the handwritten lyrics. He couldn't help but worry that the nightclub owner would find his words stupid, that he would simply send Demyx away as too childish or inexperienced or anything else.

"These are quite good." Xemnas said. "I think you'll fit in perfectly here. I just have one last question."

Demyx swallowed audibly. "Yes, sir?"

Xemnas frowned. "What are your thoughts on a song called 'Disco Inferno'?"

Was that all? Demyx heaved a sigh of relief, and replied, "It's okay, I guess. Kind of overplayed, actually. It's really only entertaining the first few times that you hear it. And it doesn't seem like it would fit in a nightclub setting like this one."

"You're hired." Xemnas said, grinning widely. Demyx couldn't help but think that the expression was rather creepy. "Why don't you stay for night hours, and get to know the others? You can officially start work tomorrow."

"Thank you, Xemnas, sir!" Demyx said, smiling, barely able to contain his excitement. He gathered his songs and practically ran from the office to find Naminé. She was in Oblivion, right where she said she'd be, and he threw his arms around her from behind, yanking her from the stool at the counter and whirling her around the white room. "Naminé, I got it!" he cheered.

Naminé laughed, waiting until he put her down so that she could hug him in return. "That's great, Demyx!" She pulled away, grabbing his hand to pull him back to the counter. "Marluxia, this is my brother Demyx. Demyx, this is Marluxia Fleur. He's watching the counter because Vexen is off today."

Marluxia extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Demyx."

"You too." Demyx shook the pink-haired man's hand, still grinning happily.

Axel stuck his head in the door, calling loudly, "Hey! We need help with chairs out here!" All three in the bar moved immediately, heading out to the main room, where Axel, Roxas, Saïx, Zexion, Xion, and Riku were setting up a flood of folding chairs to create an area for the audience to sit. Axel grabbed Demyx by the arm, holding up his hand and yelling, "Hey, everybody!" When he was certain he had everyone's attention, he called, "This is Demyx! He's our new musician!"

There was enthusiastic chatter, and everyone continued to put out chairs. Axel released Demyx's arm, pointing people out. "That's Riku, and the dark-haired girl is Xion, Zexion's sister. Then there's Roxas, he's mine, don't touch; and Saïx, Xemnas's assistant."

Demyx nodded. "So, this play you're putting on… What is it about?"

Axel grinned. "It is a lovely tale of a soldier who must bid his beloved lady farewell to go off to war. The lady promises to wait for him, but the opposing army conquers her lands. The Duke of the opposing army wants her hand in marriage, and her father encourages it, so that their lands will be spared the horrible fate suffered by other dukedoms and provinces. But the lady's true love returns the night that the Duke announces their engagement. They fight, and the winner gets the girl." Axel tossed a chair to Roxas, and unfolded his next one. "I'm the soldier; Saïx is the Duke."

"So who wins?" Demyx asked. "The soldier or the Duke?"

"That would spoil the ending!" Axel gasped dramatically. "I cannot reveal the end before showtime!"

Demyx pouted. "Aww. I suppose I'll have to watch, then. Though it seems like it would be awkward, the two of you fighting over Xion. She's what, six, seven years younger than you both?"

Axel glanced around, smiling deviously. "Oh, you mistake us. Xemnas wouldn't put her in such a position. She's practically his adopted daughter. Much better to convince his almost-adopted son to play the role!"

"Who…?" Demyx began, and then trailed off, his eyes widening. "_Zexion?_" When Axel smirked, confirming his suspicions, Demyx continued, "He doesn't seem like the type to agree to something like that at all! How on earth…?"

"Xemnas's word is law, and Zexion has been under the founders' care for years. He owes them his home, and his life, pretty much, and Xemnas likes to use that for silly things like this." Axel said. "But really, he's a good guy. It's just too much fun to tease Zexion sometimes."

Demyx looked across the room, where the silveret was unstacking chairs at a furious pace, and couldn't help but think that Zexion disliked the play much more than he let on. He thought of those icy eyes, anger clear in their depths despite the smile still on his face, and sighed. Zexion was an incredible performer, and at this point was a mystery, which meant that Demyx was already intrigued. Unfortunately, he was fairly certain that Zexion already disliked him for the incident during the routine. The silveret hadn't even glanced in his direction since he'd stormed out of the back room.

"I'm going to go talk to him." the musician decided.

Axel raised an eyebrow, and turned back to the chair stack. "Good luck with that. He doesn't like new people."

Demyx smiled. "I'm going to try anyway." He picked his way through rows of already-placed chairs to the stacks that Zexion was working on. Taking a chair off the top, he smiled at the dancer, saying brightly. "I'm Demyx! I know we didn't get the best introduction, and I'm really sorry for messing up your routine, but I hope you can forgive me."

Zexion turned his single visible eye on him, the gaze piercing and still cold. "You are forgiven. Now, please leave me alone."

"Well, Xemnas said I should try to get to know some people…" Demyx said. "And I wanted to try to get to know you!" He lined up the chair he was holding, and reached for another to unfold. "Xemnas asked me the weirdest question about a song. He wanted to know if I had ever heard of 'Disco Inferno'. And I said it was annoying if you played it more than a few times, and he told me I was hired! Do you think it was based just off of that?"

Zexion stifled a laugh, managing to keep his face schooled into a calm expression. "Possibly. Everyone here has a distinct dislike for that song except for Axel." His eyes had softened, somewhat, and Demyx decided to continue the conversation.

"So, is it fun to work here? How long have you been here?"

Zexion frowned. "I have been working here for six years, but I've been here for ten. The original owner took me in…" He trailed off, grabbing another chair and forcibly unfolding it. "It doesn't matter. Working here is the best thing that could have happened to me. Do not ask me about my life anymore. I do not want to discuss it with you." He barely knew the musician, and his past was not something he wanted to bring up with a stranger.

Demyx nodded. "Oh. O-okay." He fell silent, finishing up the row of chairs and turning away from the dancer. And things had been going so well, too…

Zexion breathed a sigh of relief. This chatty, loud blond was exactly what he didn't need, especially not tonight. It would take a lot of work to get used to this one's presence, but unlike Marluxia, Saïx, and everyone who had come to work at Second Circle after them, he didn't think that he would ever find Demyx anything other than an annoyance.

Glancing at the clock, he groaned under his breath at the time. There was only an hour until they reopened, and he had to go get into costume, maybe look at his lines one last time. He hadn't noticed on the first read-through of the script, but there was even a _song_ in there! And it was so ridiculous, in Zexion's eyes, to have a musical number in the middle of an otherwise song-less play, that he was beginning to agree with Axel's theory that Xemnas had written the thing himself. It also didn't help that there was nothing he abhorred more than singing in front of an audience. He tried to avoid participating in karaoke night for a reason…

He caught Marluxia's eye, and the pink-haired man handed off the chair he held to Axel and made his way across the room to where Zexion was heading for the back room. Marluxia had volunteered to help him into the stupid dress he had to wear, since it was not an outfit that could be donned without aid. The long white dress laced up the back, and Zexion unfortunately wasn't flexible enough to do it up himself.

Marluxia waited patiently while Zexion went upstairs and struggled into the dress. When he returned, scowling, clutching the dress at his shoulders to keep it up, Marluxia couldn't help but giggle. As Zexion opened his mouth, Marluxia cut him off, saying, "We know, we know. You will _kill_ Xemnas. You will _never_ do this again."

"How did you know?" Zexion sulked, allowing the older man to circle behind him and begin lacing the dress.

"You've been spitting poison about Xemnas and his play for days." Marluxia laughed. "It was only normal to assume that's what you were about to say." He cut off whatever scathing remark the silveret was about to make by pulling the laces tight, knocking the breath out of the smaller boy. "Don't breathe, Zex, or I can't tie this tight enough!"

"I like breathing!" Zexion objected.

"The dress doesn't accent your figure right if I can't tie it properly!"

"I'm not a girl! It doesn't need to 'accent my figure'!"

"But you _have_ a figure, Zexion, whether you like it or not! Dress nicely, and maybe someone will take notice! You need a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend." Marluxia leaned around to smile at him, and Zexion groaned.

"Be quiet, Mar. Please. I doubt any guy or girl will be interested in a cross-dressing nightclub dancer."

Marluxia deftly tied the ends of the laces, tucking the trailing ends into the criss-crosses to keep them from hanging. "What about the musician? He was giving you quite a look from across the room out there."

Zexion laughed shortly. "Oh, please. Demyx has to be the most annoying person who has ever come to work here. There's no way."

"Well, you're interested in him, in any case." Marluxia pointed out. Zexion glared, affronted.

"What?"

Marluxia smiled, flicking Zexion on the nose. "It took you three weeks to bother to remember my name, Zex. You've got his in the first hour."

"I…" But the pink-haired bartender only waved, leaving Zexion alone in his dress to contemplate what he had said. He did remember Demyx's name, but that didn't change the fact that the other was still annoying. What Marluxia said didn't have any merit.

"Holy shit, Zex. You're hot!" Axel's voice said teasingly from somewhere near the doorway.

Zexion put his hand to his forehead. His life was a perpetual headache.

* * *

Think "Cirque du Soleil". ^_^

And here we have Demyx's first appearance, and he's already made a not-so-good impression on our Schemer. XD Next chapter, we have the ridiculous play, singing, mad scientists, and a clue about Zexion's past.

Hugs!  
Li

Reader Quest – find what the inspiration for the "play" was.  
Song list: My Sitar by Dr. Bombay, Palladio by Escala


	5. Aria Falsetto

**Aria Falsetto**

The first act went off without a hitch. Zexion saw Axel off to war, watched the invading armies take over his lands, and listened to his father Riku explain to him why he should marry the duke from the invading lands. Duke Artem was powerful, Riku said, and he thought that Lady Celeste was beautiful. Zexion resisted the urge to cringe at the name, and continued the scene perfectly. Marrying the Duke would protect their lands from being razed by the armies as well. The final scene of Act I was the musical number. Pitching his voice higher than usual, Zexion was able to make it through without much trouble. It was a song about how he would wait forever for his true love to return from war.

"_…I'll wait forevermore…!_"

Then it was intermission. Act II was significantly shorter than Act I, which was a relief. They lounged in the back room, waiting for the next scene to start, and Axel leaned over to wrap an arm around Zexion's shoulders.

"It's sweet of you to wait so long for me, Celes. You must really love me!" he said, smiling.

Zexion was to the point where he could no longer muster the will to be angry at the redhead, instead choosing to throw him off-guard and snuggle instead. The look on Axel's face was absolutely priceless, as well as the brief flare of jealousy that surfaced in Roxas's eyes. Axel, to his credit, sensed Zexion's utter exhaustion with the whole thing, and just tightened his arm. "It's almost over, Zex. Don't worry."

"I know…" Zexion murmured. "At least I made it through the musical number. You know I hate singing in front of an audience." He closed his eyes, feeling the minor disturbance to the couch cushions as Roxas flopped down on Axel's other side. Saïx sat down to lean on Zexion, and Riku sprawled across their laps. They were a comfortable tangle of limbs, close enough as a family not to mind proximity to each other. Xemnas found them like that about five minutes later when he looked in to see how they were.

"Excellent job on the first act, everyone!" he praised them. "But Act II is an important, climactic moment. I expect all of you to do your best."

"Xemnas?" Roxas spoke up, his voice questioning. "Sir, did you write this play?"

"What gives you that idea?" Xemnas asked, the slightest frown appearing on his face.

Roxas plowed onwards determinedly. "I was just wondering, sir, since you're so enthusiastic about it…"

"And no one's ever heard of it." Axel chimed in. Riku sat up, scooting down to sit by Saïx as the blunet and Zexion both scooted away from the crazy duo on the other end of the couch. Provoking Xemnas was never, ever a good idea.

But Xemnas didn't seem fazed, and instead of blowing up Axel and Roxas on the spot, said calmly, "That is of no importance. You need to prepare for the opening of the next act. Move, move, move!" He vanished into the back, and Axel turned to look at everyone.

"He so wrote it."

No one bothered to contradict the accusation, and all of them began to make their way back out onstage. Zexion took his place in the middle of the stage, where the audience was clearly visible with the stage lights off. This was the ballroom scene, culminating in the epic swordfight sequence to determine Celeste's fate. Would she end up with her true love, the charming soldier, or the wicked Duke Artem?

The stage lights came on, and a beautiful orchestral song filled the room. The crowd cheered, and Zexion ignored them, looking around anxiously just like the script called for. But a man with red hair, long and spiked, approached through the crowd, coming up onstage and offering him a hand, and he… _she_ took it, uncertain where this dance would lead him… her. Dammit.

Axel smiled, mumbling without moving his lips, "You okay, Zex?" For the first act, his hair had been slicked down with gel and tied back in a ponytail. Now that he had rinsed it out, it had spiked back up into its normal state, contributing to the idea that Celeste wouldn't recognize her love when he looked different and war-haunted. It was a stretch, but they had no other options.

Zexion resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and mumbled back, "The sooner this is over, the better." They waltzed effortlessly around the stage, having practiced the scene more times than Zexion cared to count, and Axel finally moved to continue the script.

"You look as beautiful as I remembered, my love."

Oh, Zexion was going to _murder_ Xemnas. But he froze, forcing an expression of shock on his face, and gasped, "Draco?" He pressed a hand to his heart, whispering, "You've come back to me…"

"I promised, didn't I?" Axel took his hand and pulled him into an embrace. "I wouldn't leave you; not for the entire world."

Zexion was ready to gag at this point, or elbow Axel in the gut. But Saïx hit his cue perfectly, storming onstage and demanding in a strong, harsh voice, "Who dares to lay hands on my bride-to-be?" Zexion could see the cringe that Saïx was hiding, and was reassured that he was not the only one who wanted to be physically ill from the cliché and the melodrama. And, reinforcing his thoughts, someone in the audience was snickering.

xXx

Demyx was sitting near the back with Naminé, straining to see over someone's extremely poofy hair. From what he had seen so far, this play was a sappy, romantic joke. It was terrible, really. There were people giggling in the audience. He listened as Axel declared loudly, "I'll die before I let you marry Celeste, invader!"

"Then it's a duel!" Saïx replied, and both drew prop swords and began to swordfight.

Demyx glanced over at Naminé, who had sketched a rather accurate picture of Zexion in his ballgown. The dress did fit him well, even if he looked extremely uncomfortable in it. "Nami, who thought this play was a good idea?"

"Xemnas…" Naminé murmured, working on details on the bodice of the dress.

"Then I see why Zexion wants to kill him." Demyx commented, looking back at the stage. Axel had just fake-stabbed Saïx with a dramatic flourish, and the blunet man crumpled to the floor. Axel walked over and embraced Zexion, before facing the audience and taking Zexion's hand to deliver the final monologue. When it was completed, the audience stood up and clapped, a standing ovation, though Demyx was fairly sure it was for the actors themselves, and not the play.

Naminé applauded politely, then picked up her sketchbook, where the picture of Zexion was completed. He would have a fit if he saw it, because he really looked quite pretty. She closed the sketchbook and tucked it carefully into her bag, before picking her way towards the back room. Demyx followed, and they slipped through the crowd as Xemnas took the stage to announce the end of the play and that the nightclub was closing early.

In the back room, the others were lounging around on the sofas and chairs, laughing and mocking the play. Axel spotted them first, and hurried over to sweep Naminé up and spin her around. "What did you think, Nami? Completely ridiculous?"

"Absolutely." Naminé said seriously, but she was smiling.

Demyx looked around, where Riku was sitting on Saïx's shoulders and Roxas was sitting upside-down on the armchair, and asked, "Where's Zexion?"

"Right here." The dancer came down the stairs carrying the white dress over one shoulder. He was dressed in a set of loose black pants and a shirt, obviously much more comfortable without the dress on. He sat down on the couch, and Naminé tugged Demyx over to sit. She pushed the musician to sit down next to Zexion, and then sat on his other side. Axel flopped on top of them, winding up with his head in Naminé's lap. Zexion tossed the dress across the room, where it landed on the armchair, draping over Roxas, who spluttered indignantly.

"Zexion…!"

The next person to enter the back was Marluxia, who immediately told them that even though he hadn't been able to see, he had heard every word and was certain it had gone perfectly. The pink-haired man did look genuinely upset to have not gotten to see it in person, but it was Vexen's first night off in a while. Most of the employees suspected he had chosen today on purpose, specifically to avoid Xemnas's play. Either way, with him out, it fell to Marluxia to take over the Oblivion Bar.

They sat there for a few minutes in comfortable silence, just enjoying the fact that all the stress associated with the play was finally gone. The clattering sound of chairs being stacked came from outside the door, where Lexaeus and Xaldin were picking up. That had been the agreement. The performers had put the chairs out, and the two bouncers were putting them away. Really, they knew that the club was closing early. They were just waiting for Xemnas's say-so so that they could go home.

When the owner finally did come in, flanked by Lexaeus, Xaldin, and Xion, they all sat up to pay attention. Xemnas was silent for a moment, then said, "I think it went over very well. There was a very positive reception from the audience."

"They were laughing at us." Saïx said dryly, dumping Riku off of him and onto the other couch. "Especially at the end. The only thing that anyone was really in awe of was Zexion's singing." Said dancer groaned and hid his face in the nearest surface, which happened to be Demyx's arm. The blond musician's eyes widened, and he forced himself not to tense up.

Xemnas looked at Zexion appraisingly. "Perhaps we need to do more karaoke, if people are so appreciative of your singing voice…"

"Superior!" Zexion sat up. "Superior, I hate singing in front of audiences! You know that!" Icy eyes glared daggers at the man, and Demyx stared between them, fascinated.

Xemnas smiled. "Of course, Zexion. I would never make you do anything you were uncomfortable with." The smile dripped with irony, and everyone unconsciously glanced at the white dress that Roxas had successfully gotten untangled from his face. Zexion grumbled unintelligibly. Satisfied that he had won the argument, Xemnas turned to the rest of the dancers and performers. "I know this week has been stressful, so I'm closing the nightclub early tonight. Go home, sleep or whatever you do in your free time. I will see you all tomorrow." He disappeared through a door in the direction of his office, and everyone scattered to begin picking up possessions and preparing to go home.

Demyx retrieved his folder of music, watching Naminé pack up her sketchbook and colored pencils as others trekked out. He caught a glimpse through the open door of Xaldin, making sure that the front doors were locked, and Roxas went out to flick off the lights in the main room. When Axel, Roxas, Demyx, Naminé, and Zexion were the only ones left, Xaldin came to shoo them out so he could lock the back door too.

Zexion headed for the stairs instead of the door, the same place he had come from after changing out of the dress, and Demyx paused at the door and called, "Aren't you going home, Zexion?"

Zexion turned to look at him, an unreadable expression on his face, and said only, "I live here."

"What?" But the silveret disappeared up the stairs without answering, and Demyx turned to Axel. "He _lives_ here?"

"Always has, from what I understand." Axel said. "When the original owner took him in, apparently he wanted to stay here and not at a house or apartment. So he and Xion have rooms upstairs, and when they were younger someone stayed over with them during the night." He waved at Roxas and Naminé, showing that they would come along in a moment, and said, "Vexen's usually willing to tell stories. He's been here since the beginning. Lexaeus and Xaldin will talk if you catch them in the right mood, too."

"Hmm…" Demyx looked back at the closed door one last time, and followed Axel out into the dark night. The two pairs separated to head home, and Demyx walked along quietly beside Naminé, lost in thought. He was only snapped out of his dazed state when his sister spoke.

"Of everyone in the entire nightclub, you had to pick the person who's the hardest to get close to." Naminé said, smiling.

"What?" Demyx asked innocently.

"Zexion." Naminé said pointedly, a teasing smile on her face. "Like the whole world couldn't tell how you were looking at him. Really, Dem, I was sitting way in front by the doors and still saw you freeze when he came onstage. You're infatuated."

"Am not!" Demyx objected. "He's just… mysterious. I want to know more about him. Axel says he lives in the nightclub, but why doesn't he have a real home?"

Naminé looked up at him, seemingly subdued from her previous teasing demeanor. "Marluxia and Vexen told me that the original owner found him and Xion ten years ago, and that they had no parents and no home to return to."

"And Axel said that he wanted to stay there instead of in a real house or apartment." Demyx added. "Doesn't that seem weird to you?"

Naminé frowned. "I've seen him sometimes, when he thinks no one is looking. There is so much that is broken in his eyes sometimes… I don't know." Naminé had always been good at reading people, more so than either of her older siblings. She could tell that Zexion was suffering, but didn't know why.

xXx

Both were melancholy when they returned home, where Larxene was waiting with Chinese take-out. She looked between the two youngest members of the O'Donohue family, and put her hands on her hips, demanding sharply, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Naminé said, brightening immediately. "Demyx got the job at Second Circle."

Larxene grinned widely. "Oh, good job, Demy! You're not a complete failure after all!" She mussed his blond hair roughly, prompting a squeak of distress from the musician. Naminé giggled from the other side of the table as she sat down. Larxene played rough, but she did love her younger siblings. She might pick on them and snap and be rude, but if anyone ever threatened them, she was there to defend them.

They settled down to Chinese food, and Naminé told Larxene all about their day, including the embarrassing fiasco onstage, prompting Demyx to turn red and hide behind his noodles, stuffing his mouth full so he didn't have to respond. He had to go into work the next day, when he would learn how the sound equipment worked. He was hoping he could find a better way to organize it, since from what Naminé described, it was in need of major help. But that was a goal for tomorrow. For now… he had to stop Larxene from stealing his egg roll.

xXx

Saturday went by like a blur. Axel explained the complicated tangle of cords and power-strips that was their sound system, and Demyx realized that fixing it was going to be more than a one-day affair. Other than that, everything was perfect. He found that the music they had was excellent, both older favorites and current songs. He did smuggle 'Disco Inferno' into a box in the corner, out of the main music selection, per orders of his new boss. After that, it was just a matter of setting up playlists and setting them to play. Then he was free to roam the club like the dancers, mingling and dancing with the guests, who greeted him enthusiastically. Axel had taken the stage and introduced him, so only a few people actually recognized him from the disastrous routine the night before. He'd also been properly introduced to Lexaeus and Xaldin, and had met Vexen, the only one who hadn't been at work the previous night. Demyx left work feeling like the king of the world, completely pumped for his next day of work.

Sunday dawned clear and bright. Demyx woke at noon, getting up to style his hair and collect his belongings. When he went downstairs, he found two notes, one from Larxene letting him know that she and her best friend were going to a movie, and one from Naminé saying that she was going to be sketching in the park to work on outdoor scenes.

He made himself a sandwich, taking it with him and eating as he walked. He wove between the buildings, taking the shortcut through a few of the alleys to reach the back door of the nightclub. The door was locked, but Axel had shown him where the spare key was. It wasn't even a normal key; it was just a strangely shaped piece of metal with a curly-looking heart shape on the end. The heart piece was the one that fit in the lock. It had to be a custom metalwork job, but on the upside, the key looked like a decoration nailed to the door.

Demyx unlocked the door and slipped into the back rooms. It didn't seem like anyone was around, which was odd. They were usually there at least half an hour before opening. Picking his way down the hallway, he opened the door to the main room, and stopped in surprise at what he heard.

There was a voice coming from the stage, a single beautiful, clear voice singing along with a karaoke track.

_It's time to let go, time to carry on with the show…  
__Don't mourn what is gone… Greet the dawn…_

Demyx inched his way into the room, doing his best not to be spotted, lest he startle the singer. He knew who it was. Who could forget the enchanting voice he had heard during the play? Sure enough, Zexion was sitting on the edge of the stage, a single microphone in hand, calmly singing along to the music track. Demyx for the life of him couldn't figure out why the boy didn't like to sing for audiences. His voice was absolutely to die for.

_Remembrance can be a sentence,  
__But it comes to you with a second chance in tow…  
__Don't lose it, don't refuse it,  
__Because you cannot learn a thing you think you know…  
__A new light is warm, shining down on you after the storm…  
__Don't mourn what is gone… Greet the dawn…_

Demyx couldn't help but stare. He didn't realize he had drifted out of his hiding place near the wall until Zexion's sharp eyes, even the one eternally covered by silver-blue bangs, were focused on him. The dancer set the microphone aside, stalking into the music booth to turn off the track, and was scowling when he returned. "The club is closed on Sundays. Did anyone bother to tell you _anything_?"

"You're here." Demyx pointed out, only remembering Zexion's unique circumstances the instant after the words left his mouth.

The silveret sighed. "Again, _I live here_. Therefore I may do what I wish on my off days so long as it doesn't cause property damage." He jumped down from the stage, waving a hand toward the door. "You have no reason to be here. Go home."

"I thought I could keep working on reorganizing the music booth." Demyx protested helplessly. "Since I'm here…" He took a step farther into the room, but paused at the look Zexion gave him. In a last-ditch effort, he said quickly, "Your singing is amazing! What other talents are you hiding here?"

Zexion froze. "…I can play piano." he said slowly, unsure why he felt the need to answer the musician. "Most of us can play _something_. It's part of being a performer. And I am not _hiding_ my singing. I just prefer others not to hear it."

"That's… That's cool…" Demyx replied, edging towards the music booth. Maybe if he got out of Zexion's sight, the silver-haired boy would let him stay. He started to move more quickly, but came to a dead halt at the black-sleeved arm that appeared to block the way. He hadn't even seen Zexion move!

"I believe I said that you could go home." Zexion said coolly. "I get one day a week when there is no one in this building but myself and possibly Xion. I intend to enjoy it without you clattering around in the music booth."

"I'll be quiet!" Demyx objected, realizing too late once again that that wasn't what Zexion was actually referring to. In any case, the sentence had already been said, and the distinct eyeroll Zexion directed at him indicated that the dancer thought he was an idiot.

"Let me be clear, then, since you obviously don't see what I was attempting to hint at." Any trace of warmth had left Zexion's voice, leaving it like ice. "I do not want you here. I do not like you, and I do not trust new people. Having you here on an off day is suspicious to me. So go home, or I will force you to go home."

Demyx took a step back, nodding quickly. There was something in the dancer's eyes that frightened him; something hard as stone. But as he stared, he saw that Naminé was right. The stone and ice merely covered something else, something that looked like fragmented, broken panic and sadness. What had happened to make him like that? Demyx decided that it was in his best interest not to attempt to find out right at that moment, and fled the nightclub as quickly as he could without appearing scared.

Zexion watched him go, taking a deep breath once the musician was gone. He turned back to the main room, and saw Vexen standing in the doorway of Oblivion, where he had been rearranging the shelves behind the bar. The older man was regarding him with a concerned expression, and he turned away, asking offhand, "What?"

"You know what." Vexen said. "You didn't have to be so rude to the poor boy. He hasn't done anything to deserve it."

"I don't like him." Zexion objected. "No one can be so bubbly and happy all the time. It's strange." He was used to chastisement from Vexen; if Ansem Wisen had been his "father", Vexen Frost had been his "mother". But he wanted to defend himself on this.

Vexen folded his arms. "Zexion, if you would explain to us exactly why it is you are so wary of strangers, we could help you. If it is connected to your past…"

"I don't like to talk about my past, Vexen. You should know by now not to ask."

Vexen walked over to put a hand on his shoulder. "It might help you to talk about it."

Zexion looked at him, ice-blue eyes meeting unreal green, and sighed. "My parents were murdered, Vexen. You know that. There's nothing to talk about."

"That's not all of it, Zexion. We can tell that as well." Vexen murmured. "We worry about you." But he didn't stop the young dancer as he pulled away. Instead, he offered quietly, "I'm trying new combinations of drinks. Would you like to be the mad scientist's assistant?" Once upon a time, the game had been that they were scientists, mixing combinations of 'potions'. In that time, little Zexion had been the one handing Vexen different bottles and glasses. Now 'assistant' referred to being the taste-tester for Vexen's creations.

Zexion managed a small smile. "That depends. Are you using the rum?"

Vexen smiled in return. "I can."

"Then absolutely." The silveret followed the bartender into Oblivion, and though Vexen's curiosity was not satisfied, he did not question the younger any farther. In ten years, never once had Zexion shown any inclination to speak of the past. Forcing him to talk about it would be useless. The dancer would bring it up in his own time.

* * *

Ah, sappy cliched plays... :D

I just watched Sweeney Todd (the movie) and it was AMAZING. I am in love with Johnny Depp's singing voice too! (Him, Hugh Jackman, and Ewan MacGregor... *sigh*) Anyway... Next chapter is named after one single person. And it's someone you haven't seen yet. XD

Enjoy!  
Li

Reader Quest – What is the spare key shaped like?  
Song list: Aria Mezzo di Carattare (from Final Fantasy VI), Dawn by Poets of the Fall


	6. Sora

**Sora**

The next Saturday morning Roxas woke with great enthusiasm. The week had been awesome, despite Zexion and Demyx clearly avoiding each other. But today was a going to be even better. Their cousin was coming home to the city to live, and it would be the first time Roxas and Ven had seen him in almost ten years. Their cousin, Sora, had been orphaned when his parents, Roxas's aunt and uncle, had died in a suspicious car accident. He'd gone to live with their grandfather on the Destiny Islands, miles and miles from the city, and from the letters they had gotten, he was happy there.

When their grandfather had passed away, Sora had been adopted by a friend of the family. They had still been living on the islands, but were finally moving back to Deep Dive City permanently. An apartment had been chosen, and today was the day they were arriving. Roxas clambered out of bed, hammering on the wall dividing his room and Ven's, shouting, "Are you awake over there?"

There was a groaning reply from the younger twin, and a banging on the opposite wall from Cloud's room. "For the sake of the Kingdom, Roxas, be quiet, it's too early!"

"But Sora's coming today!" Roxas yelled back. "Aren't you happy?"

The door to Roxas's room flew open, revealing Ven, who tackled the older twin back into bed and pinned him there by sitting on his knees. "Roxas, it's like seven. Sora doesn't even get here until ten. Get some more sleep, for the rest of our sakes."

"But Ven…!"

"Listen to Ven, Roxas!" Cloud shouted through the wall. Roxas grumbled, but yanked the covers back up and turned over once Ven climbed off his knees.

"Fine, I'll be quiet. You guys are no fun." Roxas shut his eyes and played possum until Ven went back to his own room, then quietly slipped out of bed and crept out into the living room. He paused only long enough to snatch up his video game and the key to the curiosity shop before making his way out the front door and down the stairs. He unlocked the shop, heading inside and relocking the door behind him.

Ven didn't like being in the shop when there was no one around. He said it just gave him a creepy feeling. But Roxas embraced it. His parents were archaeologists. They loved the past and everything to do with it, so when they weren't traveling the world, they ran a curiosity and antiques shop. When they were away, Cloud usually either took over the shop temporarily or left it closed, depending on how busy things were in his personal life. The shop was usually open. Cloud was a loner, for the most part. He had his group of friends, but after something that had happened years ago involving his best friend and some other guy, he kept more to himself. Roxas didn't know what the "thing" was that had happened, and Cloud didn't want to talk about it. In a way, he was a lot like Zexion.

Roxas wandered to the aisle of the store with all of the mirrors and antique lamps, turning on a few and letting the lights reflect around the space. He dragged the cushion off of the chair behind the counter, bringing it over to his lighted corner and settling down with his game. He had over three million points as a high score on Tetris DS, courtesy of getting to level sixty-four. That was three times to the castle, but he could do better. And now was as good a time as any to try. His lazy siblings would sleep for at least another hour, and then he could go back upstairs to see what was for breakfast.

xXx

Sure enough, Cloud and Ven woke up closer to eight-thirty, almost nine. This left them little time to actually dress and be presentable, and a fully dressed Roxas sat down to eat his breakfast while the other two hurried around looking for clean clothes.

"Roxas, where's my jacket?" Ven yelled from the laundry room.

"Which one?" Roxas yelled back, his mouth full of chocolate-chip muffin.

"The black-and-white half-and-half one!"

"Oh." Roxas swallowed his bite of muffin and said, "Maybe it's in my closet. I was half-asleep putting stuff away the other night."

"If you weren't out until one in the morning at your "job", you wouldn't be so tired." Cloud pointed out, sitting down on the other side of the table and helping himself to one of Roxas's muffins. "I would still like to know what it is you're doing so late at night."

"Hey, you just told me to get a job." Roxas said. "You didn't say where or when I could work. I'm old enough to work where I want, Cloud."

Cloud sighed. "I just worry about you, Roxas." He looked over as Ven crashed his way into the kitchen, finally dressed and presentable, and smiled faintly. "Are you finally ready?"

"Yes…" Ven grumbled. "If Roxas didn't keep stealing my clothes…!"

"Eat your breakfast." Cloud ordered. "Or we won't be there to meet Sora when he gets here."

Ven's eyes widened and he began to wolf down scrambled eggs and muffin at an incredible pace. Cloud sighed again, not bothering to correct the younger twin on actually _chewing_ his food so he didn't choke. He didn't blame them for their excitement. It had been far too long since they had seen their cousin. The twins were eager to see him again, as was Cloud, but Cloud also wanted to see the boy's new guardian. They'd heard enough about him, but meeting him in person would be the best thing for their peace of mind.

xXx

"Sora!" Ven squealed when the brunet boy climbed out of the car. They had gone to wait at the apartment building Sora and his guardian were moving into, and had been eagerly awaiting his arrival.

"Ven! Roxas!" Sora exclaimed in return, dropping the duffel bag he was carrying and racing over to grab both in a hug. "I missed you guys so much! How have things been in the city?"

"Much better now that you're back." Roxas said. He was less emotional than Ven, but it didn't mean he had missed his cousin any less. Sora grinned, nudging him in the shoulder before going over to hug Cloud as well. The eldest of the Strife siblings returned the hug, but was distracted by an older brunet man getting out of the driver's seat of the car. The stranger leaned on the hood, watching the reunion with a smile. Sora looked up at Cloud, and seeing where he was looking, exclaimed, "Leon, stop being such a sourpuss! This is my family; you have to say hello!"

The brunet man came around the car, offering his hand to Cloud with a wry smile. "Nothing will ever destroy our Sora's enthusiasm for anything." he deadpanned. There was a scar across his nose and forehead. "I'm Squall Leonhart, but please call me Leon."

"Cloud Strife." Cloud replied. "It's good to finally meet you. Sora's written good things in his letters about you."

"And he's told me all about you." Leon said. He turned to the twins, smiling faintly, and pointed at first one, then the other. "Ven… and Roxas?"

Both looked at each other incredulously. It was the first time a stranger had ever been able to tell them apart. They nodded in confirmation, and Sora high-fived Leon. "Awesome! I knew you'd be able to tell them apart." He snatched up his duffle bag, spinning around and saying loudly, "We should unpack and go celebrate! I'm sure it's changed a lot since I left; I was only seven! You have to show me around!"

Roxas grabbed Ven and murmured something quickly and noiselessly into his ear. Ven blinked at him, as if to ask if he was sure, and Roxas nodded. Ven looked doubtful, but turned back to the group. "Roxas has to go to work at one, but I know something we can do afterwards. You guys can unpack, and we'll get something to eat, and then I have a surprise."

Cloud raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask. As Sora plowed ahead into the apartment building, Cloud and Leon retrieved the remaining suitcases from the car and disappeared inside as well, leaving Ven and Roxas on the sidewalk.

"This isn't a good idea." Ven said. "Do you think that having Sora and Leon around will protect you from Cloud when he finds out? You work as a dancer at a nightclub, Roxas. You have a boyfriend as old as Cloud. Tell me that doesn't sound wrong to you."

"It's not a strip club!" Roxas objected. "You're the one who told me he was going to find out sometime. Better to tell him… or show him… before he finds out and bites my head off. And yeah, I don't think he'll attempt homicide in front of Sora or Sora's guardian. Or my friends."

Ven rolled his eyes. "It's your funeral, Rox." He went after their other family members, and after a second of contemplation, Roxas followed. What could possibly wrong with this plan? The truth was what Cloud wanted, right?

xXx

When Roxas entered Second Circle that afternoon, he found a freezing silence hovering over the dance floor. Spotting Axel lounging on one of the sofas near the front doors, he hurried over to sit on the redhead's feet and ask urgently, "What's wrong?"

Axel pointed lazily at the stage, where Roxas could just barely see Demyx in the music booth, untangling cords like a man possessed. He waited, knowing there was more, and Axel's pointing finger drifted over to rest on Zexion, who was working on choreography with Riku in a corner far from the stage. Again, Roxas waited, and Axel drawled, "Little Dem decided it was a good idea to show up with a bright smile and a hug for everyone, including our resident chibi-emo. Somehow, and I have no idea how, Demyx managed to sneak up on him, glomped him from behind, and Zexion floored him with a capoeira kick and snapped at him. They've been avoiding each other since."

Roxas's eyes were wide. That was one of the few Rules for Personal Safety. **Do not sneak up on Zexion.** If you find that you have snuck up on him by accident, absolutely **do not touch him. Or he might hurt you.** Sure enough, when Demyx left the music booth, Roxas could see him favoring his left foot and moving very carefully. "What did Zex do to him?"

"Kicked him in the ankle to put distance between them, and then nailed him in the ribs." Axel said nonchalantly. "We got him some ice. He'll be fine."

"It's a good thing Demyx doesn't have to dance." Roxas pointed out. "Zexion might have overreacted just a little."

"You know he's paranoid." Axel laughed.

Roxas smiled, flopping over to lie on top of his boyfriend. "Hey, can we all just play nice tonight? My brothers and my cousin are coming, and I don't want to give Cloud a reason to spaz at me."

Axel sat up, taking Roxas with him to wrap his arms around the blond boy's waist. "Good for you, Roxy! Finally going to give up the ghost?"

"Cloud's already suspicious, and he'll think I'm involved in something bad soon if I don't tell him." Roxas said. "Ven keeps hinting that he thinks I work at a strip club. That is _not _what I want him to think."

Axel chuckled, nuzzling his hair. "Don't worry, Roxas, we'll make sure nothing goes wrong. Let me go get everybody together, and we'll let them know the special circumstances." He shifted Roxas from his lap to the couch, getting up and hurrying off to gather everyone together. Roxas smiled, following along behind him. Second Circle opened in fifteen minutes. Ven knew when, so he, Cloud, Sora, and Leon would probably show up not too long after.

xXx

After the club opened, Zexion was sitting with Riku in the back, waiting to go onstage. They had been working on a new routine, and performing it for Roxas's family seemed like a good idea. Riku was thankful that they hadn't picked anything too weird to try, going with just a normal choreographed routine.

The aqua-eyed boy waved briefly at Zexion before going out to survey the club. There was a good crowd on the dance floor, and some upbeat dance music was playing. Demyx was good at his job; Riku hadn't heard 'Disco Inferno' in over a week and a half, much to the relief of everyone but Axel, who was starting to get suspicious.

Riku took a final look around, prepared to go back into the back room, but a skinny boy with silver hair, dressed entirely in black, launched out of the crowd to latch onto him with a hug and a joyous cry of "Nii-san!"

Riku instinctively hugged the boy in return, saying only, "Kadaj, why are you here?"

"Yazoo said that you refused to come back to us." Kadaj said, the faintest trace of a pout evident on the sixteen-year-old's face. Riku often wondered how such a childish boy, the youngest of the siblings who controlled the Angels, achieved such a high position as Angel of Death. "Riku, do you hate us?"

"No, K. I couldn't. I just don't agree with some of what you guys do, is all." Riku replied. "Why are you here? Did Yazoo think you could convince me?"

"No. I'm just here enjoying myself." Kadaj said. "Are you performing?"

Riku nodded. "Yeah, in a few minutes. I actually need to go get ready. Watch for me and Zexion; we're doing a duo routine." Kadaj grinned, his eyes lighting up, and he darted back into the crowd of teenagers. Riku returned to the back room, pulling off his socks and tossing them into a corner. "Ready?" he said to Zexion.

The other silveret nodded, already barefoot, and got up to join him as they walked out into the nightclub. As they took the stage, Riku noticed Roxas greeting several people who had just come in. From the resemblance, he figured it was safe to assume this was Roxas's family. He got himself into position, smiling at Zexion and giving a thumbs-up to Demyx to start the music.

xXx

Roxas settled himself in the front of the nightclub, eyes trained carefully on his brothers and cousin as they watched the routine. Cloud looked ill at ease, but didn't seem overly adverse to the atmosphere. Sora and Ven were watching with delight, obviously entertained, and Leon simply observed passively, though you could see his foot tapping to the music if you looked.

Roxas tugged on Ven's sleeve, pointing to the floor where he was _supposed_ to be working, and Ven nodded. Roxas got up and made his way over to the crowd, watching Zexion and Riku perform flawlessly, to the great enthusiasm of the crowd. The routine ended, the pair striking a dramatic pose, and then they leaped off the stage to the thunder of applause from the audience. Roxas jumped somewhat as Axel hugged him from behind, forgetting that Cloud could see them as Axel leaned around to kiss him on the cheek.

"It's not fair for them to be that awesome." the redhead complained good-naturedly.

Roxas laughed. "We're just as good. So is Marlu, and even Saïx if we need him."

Riku found himself once again glomped by the youngest Angel, as Kadaj materialized out of the crowd again to throw himself at the dancer. Riku hugged him back, grinning with adrenaline and the high of performance. Everything was perfect for about ten seconds, before a cold voice cut through the crowd.

"Roxas."

It was perfectly audible in the bit of silence before the music resumed, and even the rambunctious crowd paused to turn in the direction of where the name was being called. Axel waved behind him at Demyx, signaling to the other to leave the music off, as Roxas locked eyes with his older brother.

Cloud seemed like he was barely containing his anger, walking slowly forward towards the crowd. "Roxas, explain yourself. Now."

Roxas's eyes widened into a confused expression. "I… don't understand. This is where I work. What do I need to explain? I'm a dancer. I don't work at a strip club, but I do work here."

"And him?" Cloud said, indicating Axel.

Roxas frowned, not liking where the conversation was going. "Cloud, this is Axel Flynn. He's my coworker here, and my boyfriend." He reached up and took Axel's hand where the fiery dancer's arm hung over his shoulder.

"Nice to meet you." Axel offered pleasantly, though he recoiled at the ice in Cloud's eyes. This guy was worse than Zexion!

Cloud was silent for a long moment, then said quietly and evenly, "Get your things, Roxas, we're going home."

"No!" Roxas objected. "This is my job; I have to work!"

"You are still a minor, and while our parents are traveling, I am your legal guardian. Get your things, Roxas."

Roxas shot a helpless look at Ven, who turned to Cloud and pleaded, "Cloud, it's really not that bad…!"

Cloud pointed at Riku and Kadaj, who looked shocked by suddenly being put in the spotlight. "I'm not going to allow you to work somewhere that opens its' doors to gangs and criminals like the Angels."

"The doors are not open to the Angels!" Riku cried. "Not as gang members. If they wish to come as themselves, we do not turn them away. Only if they are here trying to represent their gang."

"If you have a problem with the Angels, we'll take it out of here." Kadaj hissed, and Riku had never gotten used to hearing such harsh words from the teen's mouth. "I could take you, easy!"

"Gabriel! Not here!" Riku said, using the boy's call-name. Kadaj turned to look at him, and Riku shook his head in a silent admonishment.

Cloud scoffed. "Nice to know you keep a close rein on your brothers, Morningstar."

Riku turned pale, and most of the little group of dancers turned to look at him. Incredulous, confused expressions surrounded him on all sides, and the silveret wanted to be sick. His stomach certainly felt like it was turning flips.

"Ri?" Axel questioned softly. "Is he… Is he joking?" For once, the pyro sounded completely serious. He still had an arm around Roxas, whose eyes were wide.

Cloud frowned. "Oh, so you never bothered to tell them that you were the gang's Fallen Angel? Nice." He turned to Roxas and said in a voice that promised trouble, "Roxas, we're going home. Now."

Unable to do anything more but obey, Roxas untangled Axel's arm from around him, walking over to where his family was. He saw Sora flash him a sympathetic look right before Cloud grabbed his wrist and headed for the door.

Possibly alerted by the lack of music, Xemnas appeared in the doorway of the back room, orange eyes taking in the crowd of guests all staring at the blond boy being dragged from the nightclub. Roxas spotted his boss over the crowd and shouted, "Xemnas!" But Cloud tugged him out the front door, with Ven, Leon, and Sora trailing miserably behind. Xemnas glanced around at the subdued people, and easily made his way to where his employees stood in a miserable circle.

"What has happened?"

Axel frowned. "Roxas finally showed his older brother where he worked, and that guy must have a major stick up his ass, because he blew his top and dragged Rox out of here. It has something to do with…" He hesitated. "I think it has something to do with Riku."

All eyes turned to the silveret and the boy that Cloud had called his brother. Riku sighed, ruffling Kadaj's hair before walking over and sinking down on one of the couches. "I came to work here to avoid my life. Apparently my life isn't quite so kind to me. He wasn't lying. The Angels' high command are all brothers; Phiros, Afriel, Altima, and Gabriel. I am the last, Morningstar."

Xemnas nodded gravely. "I had guessed most of this, but having it confirmed is reassuring."

Riku sighed again. "Gabriel, Kadaj here, is my younger brother. Altima, the one known as the Blood-Stained Angel… his real name is Yazoo, and he's my twin. Our older brothers are Loz and Sephiroth." He picked at the dark fabric of the sofa absently. "I left the gang, and in return, my name became true: Morningstar, the Fallen Angel."

"Riku…" Axel murmured. "So your last name…"

"Mercuriae is fake." Riku said. "My real name is Riku Crescent, like my brothers."

"But how would Cloud Strife know?" Zexion asked, ever the logical one. "He obviously remembers you from before you abandoned the Angels, but how?"

Riku shook his head. "I don't know. I don't remember Cloud very well. I knew he was Roxas's brother, but other than that… nothing."

There was silence for a few minutes as each of them thought about what they had heard. The rest of the people in the club had gone back to dancing as soon as Demyx had enough sense to put on a new music track, so no one was paying the small group of employees any attention. It was Axel who finally spoke up, demanding urgently, "So, what are we gonna do about Roxas? We can't just let him get dragged off like that. He's one of us too."

"Let's focus on getting through today." Xemnas said calmly and coolly. "Marluxia will fill in for Roxas today, and if he is needed in Oblivion, I will send out Saïx. We will not be short of help. Tomorrow, we will address the issue of Roxas." He turned and wove his way back across the floor in the direction of the back room, and Kadaj got up, nodding to Riku.

"I'll ask Sephiroth what Cloud has against us." the younger teen promised. "Maybe we can figure out how to apologize to him or something." He hurried out of the nightclub, and then they were down to three. Axel motioned to Riku, mumbling something about mingling with the guests, and said to Zexion, "Go tell Demyx what's going on. Poor boy is up there clueless."

"Can't you?" Zexion countered, attempting to stand firm under the burning look Axel sent his way.

"Go apologize for kicking the crap out of him this morning, and tell him what's going on. You can't avoid him forever, Zex."

Zexion scowled, but made his way up to the music booth to talk to Demyx. The blond glanced at him only once before going back to the box of CDs he was sorting.

"Roxas's brother forced him to leave, and I doubt he'll be allowed to return." Zexion said. Demyx nodded silently, and Zexion sighed. "I'm sorry I kicked you earlier. I over-reacted."

"…just a little." Demyx said, and Zexion was actually relieved to see him pouting as opposed to ignoring him.

"You didn't look at the bulletin board in the back, did you?" Zexion asked. "Roxas and Axel thought it would be entertaining to put up a list of 'Rules for Personal Safety'. Number three is 'Don't sneak up on Zexion'."

Demyx actually laughed at that, and it was as if the sun had come out in the little room, now that the musician was cheerful again. "What's number two?"

"'Don't do anything to upset Xemnas'."

"And number one?"

Zexion giggled. "'Don't go in the skywalks if you don't know what you're doing.' There's a small addendum underneath that says 'Don't go in the skywalks at all if your name is Axel'." He realized Demyx was staring at him, and immediately felt uncomfortable. "What?"

"Nothing." Demyx replied. The dancer was beautiful when he laughed. "What are the skywalks? And why isn't Axel allowed up there?"

Zexion pointed at the ceiling high above the stage, where the walkways and platforms hung silently. "The skywalks lead off of the catwalks that we use to take care of the lights. We don't talk about the Axel/Skywalk Incident."

"Aww…" Demyx groaned, disappointed.

"Ask Axel if you like. Ask him how he met Roxas. See if he'll tell you." Zexion grinned. "He won't let us bring it up. I'm surprised his sixth sense for it hasn't brought him in here yet." He turned to the door. "I have to go earn my paycheck now. I'll see you later." Then he was gone, and Demyx stared at the empty doorway for a long moment before a giddy smile appeared on his face. Zexion didn't hate him! Now if only they could fix things with Roxas, everything would be perfect…

* * *

Sora! Now we can get this show on the road!

Haha, no, really. From now on, even if you can't tell that the plot is there, the plot is there. XD

Enjoy your Sora,  
Li

Reader Quest – Why are the Angels given the last name 'Crescent'?  
Song list: Traverse Town (piano version from Kingdom Hearts), Down by Jay Sean


	7. Rage Against the Dying of the Light

**Rage Against the Dying of the Light**

"Cloud! This isn't FAIR! LET GO OF ME!"

Roxas's voice rose progressively in volume the closer they got to home, but it didn't lessen the grip that his older brother had on his wrist. He twisted and pulled, only actually walking when it was necessary to keep from falling over. "CLOUD! Listen to me!"

They arrived home. Cloud ignored the neighbors that were looking to see what the screaming was about, tugging Roxas into the house. Only when the door was shut did he finally let go. Roxas turned on him immediately, shouting, "What right do you have to drag me away from my job?"

"I told you before." Cloud said, barely concealed anger in his voice. "I will not allow you to work in a place with ties to the Angels."

"Riku HATES the Angels!" Roxas yelled. "He drove two of them away a week ago because they were there looking for him. He doesn't want to go back to them!"

Cloud frowned at him, unwilling to be swayed. "You are a minor, Roxas. A minor, working in a nightclub that serves alcohol during the night and doesn't even allow in anyone younger than nineteen during that time. Doesn't that seem a little bit strange to you? And then I find out that you're apparently in a relationship with someone five years older than you, making him a pedophile. You walk home alone at one in the morning…"

"Axel walks me home, because he's worried about me!" Roxas protested.

Ven leaped to his brother's defense, adding, "I've seen him; he really does walk him home."

"And surely you can understand why that doesn't make me feel better!" Cloud said. "While mom and dad are away, I am in charge of you and Ven's well-being, and I am telling you that you are no longer allowed in Second Circle."

"Did it ever occur to you that I was happy there?" Roxas shouted. He turned, storming towards the hall, not even bothering to look as he yelled, "Zexion and Xion live there! Maybe I'll just go stay with them!" He stormed away, and they heard the door to his bedroom slam. Ven and Sora exchanged worried glances and hurried after him.

Ven knocked tentatively on the door, calling, "It's us. Ven and Sora," when Roxas shouted at them. He heard the door unlock and let himself and their cousin in, seeing Roxas walking back over to flop miserably on the bed.

"Welcome home, Sora." he said bitterly. "You got back just in time to watch my life fall apart."

Sora sat down on the end of the bed. "I don't know anything about gangs or Angels or anything, but from what I could see, Riku didn't seem like a bad person." He put his hands behind his head, rocking back and forth absently. "Cloud's just overreacting. I wonder what he has against the Angels." He sighed. "Maybe Leon can talk him down. I don't think he'll be this strict about it forever. Maybe he'll realize what a stick-in-the-mud he's being and let you go back."

"That would be nice." Roxas groaned. "Today… Today is going to be so boring… I'm used to being at work, having fun, goofing off with my friends. They're like my second family, you know. All the employees are really close."

Ven hugged him. "It'll be alright! We'll figure something out."

Roxas nodded. "I hope so."

xXx

In the living room, Cloud was sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands. Leon was watching him quietly, waiting for him to say something. The blond man finally sighed, leaning his head on the sofa and staring at the ceiling. "Roxas hates me."

"He doesn't hate you. You're his older brother." Leon said dryly. "He's angry with you, but he doesn't hate you."

Cloud fixed bright blue eyes on the brunet. "How do you know?"

Leon chuckled. "Keeping up with a teenager like Sora, we had our share of fights. 'No, Sora, you can't sleep on the beach all night.' 'No, Sora, you can't take a raft out on the open ocean.' 'No, Sora, you can't have a sports car, we're moving in a month and people walk in the city.'" He rolled his eyes. "One hyperactive, overly cheerful teenager compared with Ven and Roxas, one of whom is willing to get a job and the other doesn't cause trouble? I'd take Ven and Roxas."

Cloud muttered something inaudible, and Leon asked, more quietly, "Why do you hate these so-called Angels so much anyway?"

"The Angels are a menace. All the gangs are." Cloud said. "The Angels, the Gamblers, and the Seekers are the three major gangs in the city. Luxord Fortunato is the leader of the Gamblers. The Seekers keep mostly to themselves. And the Angels are lead by Sephiroth Crescent, the One-Winged Angel." He scowled. "Innocent people are getting hurt in the gang fights. Sephiroth is pitiless and merciless." He looked up at Leon. "Seven years ago, we lived in a different house, before mom and dad bought the curiosity shop. It nearly burned down one night, and we all nearly died. The Angels started the fire, but they had gotten the wrong house. They were supposed to be going after a rival from the Seekers. Sephiroth, the one the public knows as Afriel, and the twins were there that night. Riku is one of those twins, I know it. We barely got out of the house. No one was ever arrested for any of it. My _family_, my family nearly died because of those bastards. Is it any wonder I don't want Roxas near him?"

"Riku would have been a child, though." Leon said reasonably. "Logically the older ones talked him into coming. He would have been, what? Ten, eleven, twelve? I doubt he realized the consequences of what he was doing."

Cloud's expression was still harsh. "I still don't trust him, or any of his siblings. The gangs are a terrible menace to this city."

Leon rolled his eyes. He'd done his best. Hopefully Cloud snapped out of whatever mood he was in soon, because it really wasn't fair to punish Roxas for his own paranoia. That was just… stupid…

xXx

The afternoon passed by rather uneventfully, as Ven and Sora attempted to engage Roxas in a variety of games such as charades, twenty questions, Pictionary, and even a halfhearted attempt at truth or dare. They kept trying to cheer him up, right up until the point when Sora had to go, at which time Ven had nearly given up. The younger twin ended up sitting through a silent dinner, trying to make conversation with his brothers, who weren't talking to each other.

Roxas was planning, in his half of the silence. Cloud seriously underestimated him if he thought that the dancer wouldn't be able to get out of the house. He watched, after dinner, as the oldest sibling dead-bolted all the doors, and took the keys with him to his room. Roxas went to his own room, settling down to watch the clock. He was patient. He could wait.

Sometime shortly after midnight, all sound in the little apartment had ceased. Cloud was in bed, secure in knowing that the doors could not be opened. There were no fire escapes from the second floor, and no other means of getting down. But Roxas had been training on the circus poles at Second Circle for months, and there was a convenient pole that ran right by his window. It was attached to the lightning rod that most buildings in the city were required to have, and it was bolted very strongly to the side of the building. Certain that everyone was asleep, Roxas slipped out the window, closing it behind him and shimmying down the pole to ground level. Taking a last look around, he set off into the midnight-dark streets of the Deep Dive City, only one destination in mind.

It was harder to navigate the alleys in the dark than during the day, and without Axel's comforting presence at his side, Roxas was suddenly aware of how very young he was compared to those usually out during this time. The few people he passed looked at him oddly, and his paranoia only mounted. Therefore, when a hand dropped down to rest on his shoulder, he shrieked like a girl and whirled to face his assailant, only to be met with the sight of a grinning Xigbar.

"Sheesh, kiddo. It's only me. What's a squirt like you doing out on your own this late? Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

Roxas breathed a sigh of relief, and proceeded to tell the sniper an abridged version of what had occurred. Xigbar listened to the whole tale, and said cheerfully, "Well, I'd be a horrible person if I left you out on these dangerous streets all by yourself. I'll walk with you to Second Circle."

"Thanks, Xigbar." Roxas replied. It wasn't the same as walking with Axel, but having company definitely made him feel safer. "Cloud probably wouldn't like it that I know an assassin either."

"Roxy, I _do_ have jobs that don't involve killing people." Xigbar pointed out. "I don't even have my guns on me right now!"

Roxas blinked at the sniper. His signature weapons, a pair of elaborate purple handguns, were indeed missing. Roxas cracked a smile, and accused playfully, "You still have a weapon on you, right?"

Xigbar sighed. "Can't hide anything from you, Roxy. Of course I do. I'm working my extra job again."

"That's the one where you're looking for someone."

"Yeah." Xigbar glanced at him. "You know about the powerful families, right? The only one left is the Angels, since their high command is all brothers. Well, the only other one anyone remembers was assassinated ten years ago. But supposedly, the assassins botched the job and missed the kid, and now my employer is worried that that kid, or maybe more than one, has grown up and will try to take their parents' place. So I've been charged to find them and take care of the problem."

"Ten years?" Roxas asked curiously. "That long, and you still haven't managed to find them?"

"It's like they dropped off the face of the earth." Xigbar said, pulling a comically frustrated face. "Hell, they may have left the city. My employers are paranoid." He walked around the corner, Roxas behind him, and indicated the building that rose up before them. "There you go, Rox. Safe and sound to Second Circle. Tell Axel I said hi."

Roxas nodded gratefully, thanking the older man before hurrying inside. Xaldin smiled as he went by, obviously pleased to see him. Inside, there were people still on the floor, the stragglers who insisted on staying till closing every night, but none of the employees were in sight except Lexaeus, who was at his post beside the door to Oblivion. Roxas slipped through the small crowd to the back room, finding most of the dancers sitting around listlessly on the furniture. Axel leapt to his feet when he spotted Roxas, running to throw his arms around the blond boy and bury his nose in messy hair.

"Roxas! Did Cloud let you come back?" he asked, sounding relieved.

"Not exactly…" Roxas admitted. "I snuck out." He glanced over at Zexion, who was lying on the couch, and asked, "Would it be okay if I stayed here tonight? I can sleep on the couch; it's not a problem. I don't want to be at home right now."

Zexion smiled at him, nodding lazily. "You can stay in my room for tonight. I'll sleep down here."

"I don't want to kick you out of your room…!"

"It's fine." Zexion sat up, ignoring the look Demyx was giving him, and shrugged. "I don't mind, and I'm sure you need the sleep. Tomorrow we have to face the consequences of you running away, after all."

"What do you mean?" Axel asked. "He came back here of his own free will. Cloud can't do anything."

Zexion rolled his eyes. "He can call the police on us for kidnap, because it's our word against his. And in that instance, they are more likely to believe him, since he is of direct blood relation to Roxas. But in this instance we do have Roxas on our side. Let me go talk to Xemnas and Saïx. I'll see what we can do." He disappeared through the door on the back wall, leaving the rest of the employees deep in thought.

Marluxia and Vexen came in a few minutes later, and were equally as surprised to see Roxas back in the nightclub. A brief explanation was all it took, and then both bartenders were waiting for Zexion to return as well.

Zexion returned with both Xemnas and Saïx in tow, then went to fetch Lexaeus and Xaldin. The nightclub was closing anyway, so it was the work of a moment to shoo the few remaining stragglers out. The front doors were locked, the lights in the main room were turned off, and everyone gathered to determine what would need to be done.

"Roxas." Xemnas said sternly. "You may stay here with Zexion tonight, but you must be prepared to face the consequences if your brother shows up in the morning. Do you understand?"

Roxas nodded. "I came on my own. You guys didn't force me."

"Exactly." Saïx said. "I'm going home to research the laws for kidnap, because there must be a detail in there somewhere that absolves us of responsibility." The blunet pushed his hair back over his shoulder, smiling faintly. "If your brother does attempt to take legal action against us, we'll be ready."

Lexaeus glanced at Zexion, before saying calmly, "I will remain here tonight as well, in case something happens overnight. Mr. Strife has proven himself to be capable of losing his temper quite easily, therefore we don't know what he might do."

Xemnas nodded. "Excellent idea, Lexaeus. I will see all of you in the morning, then."

The employees who weren't staying began to gather their things to go home. Roxas went upstairs to borrow a pair of Zexion's pajamas, which were close enough in size to fit him, and Lexaeus went to turn off the remainder of the lights in the bar and the back offices.

Axel hung back until almost everyone had left, and Zexion finally rolled his eyes and said, "Yes, you can stay with Roxas. But only if he doesn't throw you out." Axel cheered and hurried upstairs, and when he didn't return, Zexion assumed Roxas had agreed to the idea.

Lexaeus paused in the doorway, looking at the teenager that he had essentially come to look on as a little brother. Zexion had grown up so much since that night they found him, though he'd never acted much like a child in the first place. The bouncer walked over and sat down on the couch, and Zexion came over to curl up next to him, his head in the elder's lap.

"Lexaeus?"

"Yes, Zexion?"

"What do you think about Demyx?"

Lexaeus could honestly say he was taken aback. Out of all possible conversations, he had been certain that the dancer would bring up the current situation with Roxas. As it was, the question came completely out of the blue. "Demyx is a good person, and I think it will do the rest of us good to have him working here." he said honestly. "I think he brings a sort of light to this place, different than Roxas."

Having participated in jokingly referring to Roxas as their 'light' on more than one occasion, Zexion nodded. "Maybe…" he yawned, sounding exhausted. "I think he's annoying…"

"You would." Lexaeus said with a wry smile. When no comeback was forthcoming, Lexaeus glanced down at the silver-blue mop of hair currently in his lap and placed a hand on the sleeping dancer's ribs, feeling Zexion sigh at the comforting weight. He remembered nights like this, nights when Zexion, so young but so fiercely determined to be independent, would finally crack and ask for something as simple as comfort.

_He had been sleeping, dozing really, on the large couch in the back room. The two spare rooms upstairs had been converted to bedrooms, and whoever was staying with the kids on any given night took the couch._

_It had been a few weeks since Zexion and Xion had appeared out of the rain, and the boy showed no signs of being willing to open up to them. Xion was too young to truly understand what had happened, but Zexion clearly just didn't want to bring it up._

_Thunder crashed overhead, and in the ringing silence after the crash, Lexaeus heard the sound of small feet making their way down the stairs. Zexion said nothing as he padded across the room and squirmed under the blankets, but Lexaeus could feel him shivering. Another flash and boom shook the room, and Zexion squeaked, pressing close, but still not speaking. Lexaeus followed his example, saying nothing, but wrapping one arm around the boy to keep him near, a silent promise that everything was okay._

It was after that night that Zexion finally seemed to realize that he could trust Lexaeus, at least. He slowly warmed up to the rest of Ansem's employees after that, with only a little bit of prodding on Lexaeus and Ansem's part. Perhaps Demyx would be the one who could finally get him to be open with them. Lexaeus had no doubt that having the musician around would be good for the stubborn dancer. No doubt at all.

xXx

In the morning, Lexaeus and Zexion made breakfast for everyone in Second Circle's kitchen, and though Xion was initially surprised to find several more people than usual at the breakfast table, she was quickly brought up to speed.

"I miss everything when I go to bed early!" she complained, heaping pancakes on her plate.

"You didn't miss much." Zexion assured her. "Just a lot of discussion. Leave some of those for everyone else, please?"

Xion rolled her eyes and passed him the platter of pancakes, which he returned to its' spot on the table. They ate breakfast in comfortable silence, and just as Axel and Roxas were clearing the dishes, Xemnas and Saïx came in, the blunet sporting a triumphant smirk.

"I've got him, if he calls kidnap." he said, golden eyes glinting. Roxas and Axel exchanged happy glances, and Xemnas nodded.

As if discussing it had coerced it into happening, there was a loud banging from the direction of the front door. The group trailed out into the main room, and Xemnas turned the lights on, illuminating the room and revealing that the person hammering on their front door was indeed Cloud Strife, a thoroughly displeased Cloud Strife at that. He stopped banging when he saw them, sending a glare like ice in their direction instead.

Axel wound his arms around Roxas's shoulders, smirking slightly when he saw Cloud's eyes narrow. Roxas sensed what he was thinking and said quietly, "Don't antagonize him, Axel, it won't help."

Axel grinned, Cheshire-like. "I know, Rox. But he's such fun to irritate."

Saïx strode to the front of the nightclub, the others following closely enough to hear what was said. When the blue-haired man reached the front door, he didn't open it, instead calling through the glass, "What business do you have here this early? We are closed."

"Don't play dumb with me." Cloud said furiously. "I know you have my little brother! He's coming home with me, this instant. Let him out."

Saïx at least had the grace to glance at Roxas before saying calmly, "We do not 'have' him. He came to us. Nor are we holding him here. If he chooses not to leave, so be it."

"I'll call the police!" Cloud threatened. "I'll charge all of you with kidnap!"

Saïx grinned wickedly. "You cannot do that."

"Oh, really? Why not?"

"Kidnapping law in Deep Dive City is rather simple." Saïx explained, still smiling evilly. "Kidnapping is defined as one person or group taking and carrying away a minor by force or by fraud, without the consent of the person taken or lawful excuse. If I'm not mistaken, Roxas left home and came here on his own. We did not take him, we did not force him to come here, and he is here by his own consent. Therefore, this is not a case of kidnap."

Cloud simply stared at him, dumbfounded. Roxas took the opportunity to make his way forward, which wasn't easy with Axel still holding him tightly, and say loudly, "I'm happy working here, Cloud! These are my friends… like my other family! And I'm willing to stay here, as long as Zexion will let me stay, until you understand that!"

Cloud stood there for a long moment, just looking through the glass at all of them. He finally said, in a normal tone of voice, "May I come in?"

Roxas hesitated, and Xemnas intoned calmly, "Are you going to be reasonable about this?"

"Yes."

"Very well, then." Xemnas unlocked the front door, letting in the blond man, and suggested, "Why don't we go sit down and discuss this?"

They gathered on the couches and chairs set out in the area near the front of the nightclub. Roxas sat across from Cloud, Axel beside him. He'd unwrapped his arms from the youngest dancer, but still held his hand. Aware of Xemnas, Saïx, Zexion, and Xion watching him, Cloud asked Roxas quietly, "You're really happy here?"

Roxas nodded. "I am. I don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't have work. This never feels like a job. It's too much fun."

Xemnas interjected easily, "Perhaps, Cloud, it would be easiest if you told us what exactly you were worried about. That way, we could attempt to assuage your fears."

Cloud nodded. "For one thing, it worries me that during the night hours, only nineteen-year-olds and older are allowed in, alcohol is served, and yet a seventeen-year-old is here working. I'm concerned for his well-being in such an environment."

Xemnas hummed in agreement. "Lexaeus Erthan is our bouncer who monitors the door between Oblivion and the rest of the club. People who become excessively drunk are not allowed to return to the floor. And he is there if anything else seems like it's going wrong. I assure you, I do not want anything to happen to my employees either."

"Roxas is walking home alone, after midnight…"

"Axel is with me!"

"…with someone who is four years older than him." Cloud finished, glancing at Roxas as the younger brother attempted to protest.

Axel frowned. "Look, I can't help how old I am. But I'm damn sure that I'd do whatever it took to keep Roxas safe. I love this kid too much to let something happen to him, and I'd _never_ hurt him." His eyes blazed green fire as he spoke, nothing but truth in his words.

Cloud stared at him for a moment, and then concluded quietly, "…And the Angels. Roxas, you remember when our house nearly burned down? The Angels were responsible for that attack. I don't feel comfortable letting you work where there's gang activity."

"I'll vouch for Riku." Xemnas said. "When he first arrived here, he assured me he had no gang affiliations. Beyond familial obligations, he has cut all ties with his brothers, to the point of using a different last name. Yesterday, his youngest brother had simply come by to see him. Second Circle does not allow any gang-related activity within its' walls."

Cloud was silent, deep in thought, and Roxas found himself squeezing Axel's hand and waiting with baited breath. When the oldest of the Strife siblings finally looked up, Roxas was turning blue from holding his breath. Cloud smiled wryly at his younger brother and said, "I suppose if all these people care about you this much… You can continue to work here."

Roxas cheered, and Axel swooped him up off the couch to spin him around the room happily. Cloud got up as well, catching Axel's attention before adding, "If he's ever hurt, I will personally see to it that you're permanently crippled."

Axel mock-saluted, grinning. "Yes, sir!"

Roxas dashed over to hug Cloud, who returned the gesture, chuckling. "Just be careful, Roxas."

"I will!" He hurried off to do a victory dance with Axel and Xion, and Cloud rolled his eyes. He turned to Xemnas, nodding and saying, "Thank you for looking after him."

"With all the other teenagers I look after, one more isn't a problem. Roxas is an angel compared to Zexion and Axel." the nightclub's owner said in a perfect deadpan. Zexion punched him in the shoulder.

"Hey!"

Everyone laughed, and things proceeded smoothly from then on. The day was shaping up to be absolutely awesome.

* * *

This chapter is for everyone out there who is taking exams right now, or within the next week, or if you live in Virginia and have to suffer through the SOLs. Hell, this chapter is for you if you're like me and stressing out over graduation. I really don't feel ready to be a grown-up!

Li

Reader Quest: The chapter title is the last line of a famous poem, and is preceded by which more famous line?  
Song List: Break by Three Days Grace


	8. Castles in the Sky

**Castles in the Sky**

Over the next few days, things returned to normal. Ven hung out at the nightclub when he could, and Sora had struck up a friendship with Riku, ironically enough. Ven, Roxas, Sora, and Riku were lounging on the couches near the front of Second Circle during day shift, when the front doors opened and a tall young man with feathery brown hair stepped inside, followed by a girl with blue hair. Ven was off the couch in a moment, throwing himself at the girl with a joyous cry of, "Aqua!"

Aqua caught him easily, hugging him tight. "How are you, Ven?" She and Ven had been best friends since they were small, despite the few years' age difference between them. Ven replied enthusiastically that he was doing amazing, and then proceeded to hug the other member of the pair.

"Did your trip go okay?" he asked the brunet. They had gone to visit a friend in another town, and had apparently returned just today.

"There and back, easily." the brunet replied. Aqua giggled.

"You make it sound like we didn't spend any time there, Terra! I thought Eraqus was an old friend of the family, remember?" It had been her first time meeting the man, but he had seemed very nice.

Terra smiled wryly. "Of course he is. I was abridging the trip, since I don't think Ven wants to hear 'How does the building stand up like that?' for two hours."

"I wasn't that bad!" Yes, she hadn't understood how the entire building managed to branch out from a ground floor that was only the size of a small house, but that didn't mean that was what she talked about the entire trip!

"You were." Aqua's boyfriend replied. The girl glared at him, and then looked at the assembled group.

"We've forgotten our manners." she said, speaking mainly to Riku and Sora, since they knew Roxas. "I'm Aqua Leau, Ven's friend. The grouchy one here is Terra Nihil."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Riku Mercuriae." He was still using the fake last name, for safety's sake.

"Sora Leonhart. Roxas and Ven's cousin." Sora added.

Aqua smiled warmly. "It's always good to meet any of the twins' family." she said happily.

Riku grinned. "So, what brings you to Second Circle, other than smothering Ven in affection?"

"We actually didn't know Ven was here." Terra admitted, shrugging loosely. "I came to see my older brother." There was a pause for all the employees to contemplate who he could be referring to, and a group face-fault when they realized. Sure, they didn't use Xemnas's last name much, but everyone knew what it was.

"Let me get this straight." Roxas said slowly. "My brother's best friend's boyfriend's older brother… is my boss?" He glanced at Terra, who nodded, and voiced what all of them were thinking. "Damn, it really _is_ a small world!"

Terra grinned. "Do you think he has any idea that we're here?"

"Xemnas knows everything about everyone." Riku deadpanned. "He probably sensed the instant you stepped inside the city limits." The others laughed, knowing that Riku was still somewhat in shock about their boss knowing his big secret. Roxas got up to lead the pair to the back so he could point them in the direction of Xemnas's office, and Riku glanced around the nightclub, seeing Zexion heading for the back with a scowl on his face, Demyx following him a few paces behind. The silveret laughed, prompting a questioning look from Sora, and Riku elaborated, "Trouble in paradise."

"What?" Sora asked, looking from Riku to where the slender dancer and the musician had disappeared into the back.

"Demyx has been trying to get Zexion to like him since he started working here. Zexion thinks Demyx is the most annoying thing in the universe." Riku explained. "I wonder what's happening?" Sora shrugged, and Riku got up. "Oh, well. I'm going to go see if Xion wants to dance. See you later."

xXx

As usual, it had started with Demyx. The musician occupied his usual seat in the music booth, tugging absent-mindedly at the collar of the coat that was the nightclub's uniform. All employees who weren't dancers had to wear ankle length black coats, with hoods and dangling silver chains across the collar. There were black pants and knee-high leather boots too. Demyx liked the outfit; it made him feel incredibly badass. But it did get kind of warm sometimes.

He was supposed to be coming up with songs, since Xemnas had expressed interest in having him do live music one night. He liked the stuff he'd already written, but he wanted something special that he had written just for the nightclub. However, most of his attention had been drawn by the silver-blue-haired dancer who was mingling in the crowd. Unconsciously, he had started singing to himself, not really knowing what he was saying.

"_So yeah, I'll tell you, you know I love creating songs… Of my music I am justly proud…_" What was it about Zexion that distracted him so much? It wasn't just his looks, even though Demyx thought the dancer was beautiful. "_So yeah, I'll tell you, you know I'm so much better than other musicians out there in the crowd…_" He faintly heard Axel and Saïx sitting on the side of the stage, discussing ideas for a weapons exhibition. Those had to be planned weeks in advance, so that all necessary safety measures could be taken. "_But tell me, someone please, why I can't focus but on him… Why his saddened eyes still touch my soul…_" Maybe that was it. It was the sheer raw _pain_ he saw in Zexion's eyes sometimes, like the silveret was being eaten alive from within. The part of Demyx that knew he had fallen in love with the other boy wanted to make that pain go away, to do _something_ to make everything right in Zexion's world. "_I feel him, I see him, the spotlights in his silver hair… This feeling's burning out of all control…_"

"Hey, Demyx."

Demyx jumped a foot off of his chair and toppled to the floor with a wail. He scrambled back to his feet, turning to face Axel, who was standing in the doorway with a grin on his face. "What is it, Axel?"

"I was going to ask your opinion on a weapons routine, but it seems you're busy pining. I'll come back later." the redhead said snarkily.

"I'm not pining!" Demyx objected, and Axel laughed outright.

"Yeah. You're not making up your own lyrics to old cartoon movie songs either." Axel leaned on the doorframe, crossing his arms and saying sternly, "You need to talk to him, Dem. I mean, how else is he ever going to know you like him?"

"But he doesn't like me!"

"Roxas didn't like me at first either. He had every reason to hate me after the Skywalk Incident. And look at us now." Axel chuckled. "You want to know what's wrong with Zexion. Why not just ask? I'm just saying…" He disappeared from the doorway, yelling for Saïx to come with him and pitch the weapons idea to Xemnas, leaving Demyx deep in thought. What _if_ he just went and talked to Zexion? It couldn't hurt any more than not doing anything.

He set another music playlist to go, and slipped out of the booth. Zexion had left the floor, and was sitting on the edge of the stage watching the crowd. He walked over, making sure to step loudly enough that the dancer could hear him coming. He didn't want to be thrown into the crowd, or kicked again. He sat down next to Zexion, but didn't speak right away.

Zexion glanced at him, and finally asked, "What are you doing?"

"I just wanted to talk to you." Demyx said. "You seem so sad sometimes."

Zexion frowned, unwilling to admit that Demyx had unnerved him with that last statement. Instead, he pulled up his aloof mask and said coldly, "So? Does it matter?"

Demyx looked back out at the crowd. "If you needed to talk… I mean, did something happen?"

_Did something happen?_ It was a simple question, but Zexion felt his insides freeze. Of course something had happened. Everyone knew that. But they should also know by now that Zexion didn't like to talk about it. He glared at the blond musician, and said sharply, "Demyx, I believe I made it clear the other day before the play that I do not like to talk about my life or my past."

"It was just wondering…" Demyx attempted, but Zexion had already slipped off the stage, heading for the back room with a scowl on his face. Demyx went after him, determined to figure out what was wrong.

Seeing the blond still following him, Zexion decided to retreat to the one place that he was certain Demyx wouldn't follow: the catwalks. He hurried into the back room, moving to what Demyx had thought was an empty bookshelf but was actually a concealed ladder. The dancer climbed nimbly, but the musician followed without a second thought. Through the door to the platform on the stage and up the much taller ladder to reach the walks.

The catwalks that ran the length of the room were stable enough, but to reach Zexion's favorite spot, one had to cross the skywalks that branched out to where most of the lights hung. They weren't the most stable, and as the supposed Rules for Personal Safety insisted, no one should be on them unless they knew what they were doing. Zexion figured if he could get across to his alcove, Demyx wouldn't follow him any father. He scampered across the first walk, jumping to the second and pausing to look down. Axel and Riku had seen him leave and gotten up to cover where Zexion should have been on the floor. He shrugged. He'd let them both leave before him later. Scampering the length of the walk, he ignored the cry of his name and jumped to the last one before his alcove.

"Ahhh!"

It was a cry of fear this time, and Zexion finally turned around. Demyx was on his knees in the center of the middle walk, knuckles white as he gripped the skinny railings. The platform was swaying from Zexion's jump, and the musician's eyes were tightly shut.

"Demyx…" Zexion called, rolling his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Following you."

An honest answer, but an annoying one. Zexion sighed. "And right now…?"

"I'm scared of heights."

"Yet you chased me into the skywalks of the nightclub…" the dancer mumbled. "Just turn around and go back down."

"I can't. I'll fall."

Zexion sighed again, jumping back to the other platform, causing Demyx to let out a squeak and grip the railing even tighter. "Here, Demyx. Look at me. The platforms aren't that far apart. Give me your hand." Ocean eyes flickered open, focusing intently on Zexion's face, rather than the stage so far below. Hesitantly, he reached out and took the offered hand, but remained on his knees. Zexion tugged on his hand lightly. "You have to stand up." He internally sighed in disappointment. Demyx was too frazzled to try to get back down the ladder right now. He'd likely panic and fall. So there was no choice but to bring him to the alcove until he calmed down. "Come this way, Demyx."

They walked slowly, and Zexion hopped across to the next platform, turning and offering his hands. "Come on, I won't let you fall."

Demyx whimpered, but jumped. Zexion couldn't help but smile faintly at how tightly Demyx was gripping his hands. "One more jump." They both made it to the solid structure of Zexion's little hideaway, and Demyx wrapped his arms around his knees.

"I don't like heights." he whispered, and Zexion chuckled.

"You broke the first Rule of Personal Safety. You went in the skywalks without knowing what you were doing." he said. "I think we need to add another amendment. 'Don't go in the skywalks if you're afraid of heights'."

Demyx just looked at him, his eyes filled with an emotion that Zexion didn't recognize. The dancer sat perpendicular to the musician, leaning against the back wall and stretching his legs out. He sighed once, very softly, and said in a low voice, "My parents were murdered, Demyx."

Demyx's eyes widened, and he asked quickly, "When you were little?"

"I was eight." Zexion replied. "Our house was broken into, and my parents were killed. They told my sister and me to get out, before it happened, and I took Xion and ran. It was raining… We wandered through the rain, and ended up here just as the old owner and all of the original employees were leaving. Ansem took us in… let us stay here… All of the original employees became my family, and my family has only gotten bigger over the years."

"Am I part of your family, then?" Demyx asked, a hopeful and hesitant smile on his face.

Zexion raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I know you well enough yet. But who knows? Maybe eventually…"

Demyx stretched his own legs out to cross over top of Zexion's. "That works for me." He leaned over to peer down into the nightclub, and immediately scooted farther into the alcove, looking rather green. "So, umm… How do I get down?"

Zexion rolled his eyes. "You can't get back down the ladder?"

"No… I don't think so."

"Last time this happened was because the ladder came unbolted." Zexion mused. "I wonder if the crash mat is still around." He crawled over and hopped back to the platforms, hearing the tell-tale sounds of the last of the day-shift visitors being kicked out. When he spotted the red fluff of Axel's hair, he shouted, "AXEL!"

Axel looked around in confusion for a second, before looking up. "Zex, where the heck have you been? And where's Demyx?"

"Demyx is scared of heights. He chased me up here, and can't get down." Zexion explained, and Axel grinned.

"Oh, _did he_, now?" The redhead headed for the back, calling, "Roxy! Come help me get the crash mat!"

"What's a crash mat?" Demyx asked, peering out of the alcove at Zexion. The dancer smirked.

"You'll see…"

xXx

"No! No, no, no! NO!"

"Demyx, if you won't go down the ladder, you'll have to jump." Zexion said calmly. The large, squashy blue crash mat had been set up on the stage below the skywalks. "You won't get hurt. That's what the mat is for." Zexion had jumped from the skywalks one time, during a particularly ambitious weapons exhibition. The crash mat had been set into a special hollow in the stage, which was usually covered by a trapdoor. It was perfectly safe.

"B-but, how is this any better than the ladder?"

"If you fall off the ladder, you land on a tiny platform and potentially break something. Here, you'll be perfectly fine." It was only twenty feet down or so.

"But I…"

Zexion caught Axel's eye, and the redhead pantomimed forcing his hands forward very quickly. Zexion nodded, nimbly stepping around behind Demyx and shoving him off the skywalk. The musician screamed as he fell, and continued screaming after landing in the center of the crash mat with a soft smack. Axel got him off the mat, and Zexion jumped after him, too lazy to use the ladder when the mat was already out.

Once everyone was safely on the ground, Axel and Roxas went to put the crash mat away. Zexion sat down on stage to stretch. He glanced every so often at Demyx, who was sitting against the outside wall of the music booth, and finally asked, "Demyx, why did you chase me into the catwalks?"

Demyx looked up, surprised, and said brightly, "Because I love you, and I want to know what's wrong!" The instant the words were out of his mouth, his eyes widened in a comical expression of shock, and he clapped his hands over his mouth. "I mean… uh… Look, an Angel!" But it was too late. Zexion was staring at him with the most peculiar look on his face, before it dissolved into amusement.

"Don't say things you don't mean." he said, leaning over to grab his feet, nose nearly touching his knees.

Demyx stammered for a second, then retorted waveringly, "But I do mean it!"

"You've known me for a week and a few days, Demyx." Zexion said reasonably, pulling his feet into a lotus pose. "That makes absolutely no sense."

"But…" the musician said pleadingly, "Don't you believe in love at first sight?"

"A foolish notion, encouraged by fairy-tales and other silly make-believe." Zexion said flatly. But unlike the other times he'd spoken to Demyx, he didn't try to push the other away. Getting to his feet, he said shortly, "I'm going to the kitchen to make something for dinner. Are you coming?"

Demyx nodded quickly, following the dancer into the back rooms. Zexion might not accept what he was trying to say, but he hadn't gotten upset and stormed off. That was a start.

xXx

When Roxas had taken Terra and Aqua back to Xemnas's office, the nightclub owner had been waiting in the doorway, smiling as they came down the hall. Roxas turned to Terra, saying in a loud whisper, "I told you!"

"He's always been like that." Terra replied, amused. "Always been able to tell when certain people are around. Family, close friends… He's creepy omniscient like that."

"Thank you, Terra." Xemnas said, fixing his gaze on his younger brother. "How was Eraqus? It's been a while since we've gotten to go see him."

"He's good. Still running his martial arts school. His kendo classes are some of the best in the world, or so I hear." Terra said. "He wanted to know why you didn't come."

Roxas quietly excused himself to return to the main room as Xemnas grumbled, "I have a nightclub to run. A nightclub staffed by teenagers and young adults with the mentality of teenagers. Only the other three who founded this place seem to have any level of maturity at all." He thought for a second. "Except for Saïx, when he's not berserk."

There was a reason why Saïx wasn't allowed coffee.

Xemnas let the two into his office, offering them the chairs in front of the desk before going around to sit down. "So, what did Eraqus say about the other matter?"

"You sent us to ask what to do about the Seekers." Aqua replied.

Xemnas nodded gravely. "Yes. The Seekers are becoming more and more of a problem in the city. The Angels have certainly noticed. Did you happen to meet Riku Mercuriae on the way in?"

"He's a good kid." Terra said. "Seems that way, in any case. Is he one of your employees?"

"He is a dancer here. But his real last name is Crescent. He is one of the twins, the second youngest of the siblings who control the Angels." Xemnas explained. "They came here looking for him. He left them, years ago, because he didn't want a life as part of the gang. But if they are trying to get him back, something bad is happening."

"Poor boy…" Aqua murmured. "I can see why he would reject that sort of life." She met Xemnas's orange gaze, and said quietly, "Eraqus knew Master Xehanort Escuridao, the leader of the Seekers, when they were in school together. He was several classes above Eraqus. Eraqus says that the Seekers were a good group, but something changed."

"Master Escuridao passed away about a year ago." Xemnas said. "His son shares his name, and leads the Seekers now. But they started going bad before his death."

"Xehanort." Terra said. "His son is also called Xehanort. Eraqus thinks that his son persuaded Master Escuridao to have the powerful families assassinated."

Xemnas folded his hands on top of his desk and said solemnly, "The Seekers are up to something. I want to know what it is they're planning, and what they are looking for. Can you accomplish this, Terra, Aqua? I hate to ask you to put yourselves in danger…"

"I can do it." Terra said, and Aqua nodded in agreement. "But really, Xem, you could be running your own gang here, with the loyalty your employees have to you."

"This isn't meant to be a gang." Xemnas said. "It is meant to be a haven from the gangs. Such activity is not allowed here. My only aim is to protect my employees and my club from them." He thought for a moment, and added, "If you see the opportunity, speak to the Gamblers as well. See if Mr. Fortunato has chosen a side. I believe we are on the verge of something huge, and it would be beneficial to know who is siding where."

Terra scowled. "No one should be on the Seekers' side. Xehanort Escuridao, from what I've heard of him, is a horrible, moral-less demon. You'd have to be crazy to work with him. Maybe that's what's wrong with the Seekers. They're all mad."

There was the muffled sound of screaming from somewhere in the direction of the main room, and all three turned to look. When the screaming stopped, Xemnas shrugged, and nodded to his younger brother. "Thank you, Terra. I eagerly await what you find."

Terra shook his hand, and Aqua gave him a hug. "We won't let you down, Xemnas."

xXx

The pair ended up following their noses to the kitchen, where the employees were having breakfast for dinner. The abundance of syrup-covered food was questioned, and Axel laughed loudly and said, "We all like breakfast, and we eat whatever Zexion makes anyway, because only he, Xaldin, and Lexaeus can cook. I'm Axel Flynn, by the way."

"Terra Nihil and Aqua Leau." Terra replied, shaking the pyro's hand. "Where's Ven?"

"He went home for dinner." Roxas said. "So Cloud won't worry; it throws him that we're both here so much. Sora went home too. They aren't allowed to stay late, technically, anyway."

"So far Naminé's the only one with that free pass." Demyx said, his mouth full of French toast.

Roxas thwacked him in the head, silently reminding him that there were such things as manners, and turned back to Terra. "Are you two staying for night shift?"

"We'd like to, Roxas, but we got up incredibly early to come home today." Aqua said, ruffling his hair. "I think we're going home to unpack and sleep."

Roxas nodded, getting up to give each a hug before they left. Then the employees went back to finishing their dinner. Night shift, as it did most nights, went off without a hitch, and it was finally time to go home.

While everyone else was packing up to go home, Zexion bid them good-night and started up the stairs to his room, fully prepared to go to sleep until he heard someone calling his name. He came to a stop, turning to see the musician standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Demyx looked up at Zexion, who had stopped almost at the top of the stairs. "Come on, Zex. Don't go to bed. I want to show you the city!"

"I live in the most popular nightclub in Memory's Skyscraper. I think I know the city." Zexion grumbled. "Besides, there's nothing open at one in the morning." He didn't understand this blond man. What was Demyx trying to do?

Demyx giggled. "You would be surprised, Zexion! Come on, please. Just one night, give me just one night!"

"Demyx…!" Zexion tried to object, but the other had broken into song.

"In the name of love! One night in the name of love!"

"You crazy fool…" Zexion whispered, but he was smiling. He didn't know why. He should be discouraging Demyx. It wasn't a good idea to get close to him. But for some reason, he couldn't help but smile like a fool. He came slowly back down the stairs, pausing on the last step, standing eye-level with the musician. "All right, Demyx. Show me the city." And he couldn't stop the stray thought that the wide smile that spread over Demyx's face was entirely worth it.

* * *

Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that the building in the Land of Departure seems to be balancing on a room the size of a shed? Castle Oblivion looks nothing like it.

Soooo, some almost-Zemyx for you? And I had to include Terra and Aqua. They become important later, after... well, later. :D Enjoy!

Li

Reader Quest: What does "Escuridao" mean?  
Song list: Hellfire (from the Hunchback of Notre Dame), Elephant Love Medley (from Moulin Rouge)


	9. In Brightest Night

**In Brightest Night**

The building was dark, to disguise the fact that there were people meeting within. It had been chosen for its' remoteness, in city terms, from other places usually frequented by Deep Dive's citizens. Within, the Seeker of Darkness, leader of the Seekers, was meeting with his trusted lieutenants. The Seeker of Completion and the Seeker of Power knelt before him, awaiting his word.

"Ten years ago, we assassinated the last of the powerful families." Xehanort said. "And yet, we know that at least one child of one of those families survived. The body of the son of one family was not found afterwards."

"We have searched, sir." the Seeker of Power said. She was a woman, a few years older than Xehanort, with jet-black hair and poisonous green eyes. A tattoo of a black dragon curled across the back of her shoulders, visible over the back of the halter top she was wearing. "But we have found no traces of a child in ten years. Is it not time to believe that we have won? Between our own agents and the assassin we hired, there is no way the boy could have escaped if he were still alive."

"Come on, Mal, do you really believe that?" The Seeker of Completion was only a teenager, but he spoke to the older woman with an air of familiarity. Gold eyes glinted beneath dark bangs, and 'Mal' frowned disapprovingly at him.

"Wasting resources tracking down a child who is already dead… And even if he isn't, it's likely he knows nothing of his family. He would have been too young!"

"There is no harm in being too careful, especially where the powerful families are concerned." Xehanort said. "Maleficent, Vanitas, I need you both to keep your eyes and ears open. The Angels are now the biggest threat we have to be concerned with."

"Sir." Both nodded, before getting to their feet. One or the other might have their misgivings, but if the Seeker of Darkness gave an order, they followed it unquestioningly.

xXx

Zexion was reluctant to admit it, but Demyx was right. There were interesting things in the city late at night. It helped, of course, that there were people awake at every hour of the day, so some businesses only operated in the early hours of the morning. There was, in fact, a rave club a few blocks over from Second Circle that opened at one-thirty and stayed open until six. Several restaurants and cafes catered to the night crowd, as did some of the less-mainstream businesses. Zexion was thoroughly impressed already, but then Demyx had grabbed his arm and told him that he had to show him the 'secrets'.

The first thing that Demyx showed him looked like a run-down shack in the shadow of a much taller building. He didn't really want to go in, because it looked dangerous, in more ways than one. Other than the fact that it looked like it was about to collapse, he could only imagine what sort of people would choose to lurk in somewhere like this.

"Demyx, I don't think this is a good idea." he said, trying to free his wrist, which was locked in the musician's grip.

"C'mon, Zexy, you promised you'd let me show you the city!" Demyx said, turning on the puppy-eyes full force.

"_This_, whatever this is, doesn't count as the city! And your pathetic expression will not… _'Zexy'_?" Momentarily dumbfounded by Demyx's choice of nickname, he didn't resist as the blond dragged him forward, right up to the door of the place. Zexion snapped out of it quickly enough to object, "Demyx, no!", but not quickly enough to stop him from dragging him inside.

Zexion blinked, partly in shock and partly from the bright fluorescent lights in the ceiling. There was a staircase directly in front of him, leading down into a sort of basement-like area. Demyx tugged at his hand, leading him towards the stairs, and again trapped in a haze of amazement, Zexion didn't resist. They walked down the stairs, and Zexion found himself confronted with small round tables and chairs, and a counter with a menu board above it.

"Isn't this cool?" Demyx said excitedly.

"This is… an ice-cream parlor?" the dancer asked, trying hard to keep the incredulity out of his voice, and not succeeding at all.

"Yep!" Demyx chimed. "It's a secret! Only people who hear about it or who are brave enough to see what's in the shed up there can find it. Mr. McDuck did that on purpose."

An older gentleman stood at the counter, a top hat on his head and a monocle in his eye. He was wearing a tailored suit, but, strangely enough, orange rubber boots. "Hello!" he greeted. "Welcome to Secret Ice!" He took off his top hat and swept them a bow. "How are you, Demyx?"

"Good, sir." Demyx replied. "This is my coworker and friend, Zexion Ishida. Zexion, this is Scrooge McDuck."

"This…" Zexion began. "This is really an ice-cream parlor?"

"Of course!" Mr. McDuck replied. "Our specialty is sea-salt ice cream, but we have a multitude of other flavors to choose from. Did you want to get some?"

Demyx looked at Zexion, who hesitated. "I haven't had sea-salt ice cream since I was very little. That was Mr. Wisen's favorite flavor. I remember walking the hallway with him at Second Circle, eating ice cream together…" He drifted off, a faintly wistful look on his face, and Demyx smiled.

"Two sea-salt ice creams to go, please. We're on a walking tour." he explained. Mr. McDuck smiled, retrieving two of the light-blue colored ice pops and handing them to Demyx. Demyx exchanged them for a small handful of munny, pressing one of the ice-cream pops into Zexion's hand and taking his other hand to gently tug him towards the stairs. "Come on, Zexion. There's more I want to show you." He called over his shoulder, "Thanks, Mr. McDuck!"

"You're welcome, Demyx!" the older man called back.

Demyx led Zexion back outside, surreptitiously watching the younger of them eating his ice cream. Zexion finally looked up at him, asking curiously, "How does a place like that even exist?"

"It was the basement of another big building." Demyx explained. "When they knocked it down and built the new one, they didn't fill in the basement. Mr. McDuck bought it and built the little shed, and set it up as an ice-cream parlor. He said people need a few surprises; things that aren't what they seem."

"Aren't what they seem…" Zexion murmured, and took another bite of his ice cream. Demyx wasn't what he seemed. After all, he seemed like a clumsy idiot, but here they were, touring the secret places of the city at one-thirty in the morning, and…

Zexion very nearly choked on his bite of ice cream. Were they on a _date?_ Waving off the musician's queries about what was wrong, he swallowed and attempted to organize his thoughts. He was overreacting. This… this wasn't a date. He was just being silly. Taking another bite, he let Demyx lead him in the direction of the next stop on their 'tour', deciding not to worry about it.

xXx

"It's a church." Zexion said flatly. "The side door of a church that has been boarded up from the front. What's so secret about this?" They had walked for quite a few blocks, only to end up somewhere as mundane is this? He would have brought up his new 'things aren't what they seem' mantra, but that inevitably led back to thoughts about Demyx.

"Riddle me this!" Demyx proclaimed cheerfully. "Why is the front door boarded over?"

"I don't know, Dem."

"Because no one uses it anymore! It's abandoned. So why won't the city order it torn down to build something else?"

"Demyx, just tell me already!"

"Becaaaaaaause…" Demyx drawled, "This is the Cathedral of Empty Melodies!"

Zexion blinked. "…Really?" He'd heard of the Cathedral before. It was one of the few gang-neutral zones in the city. Supposedly, it was owned and maintained by the Angels, but there was no conflict allowed within its walls, and anyone was welcome. "If the Cathedral is right here, how come it's so difficult to find?"

"Not everyone realizes that this is it." Demyx explained. "They expect something grand and elaborate, not a run-down church in the middle of the city. And not many people know about this side door, so they see the boards on the front door and turn away." He shook his head slightly, continuing, "It's probably better not to go in. There's probably no one there, but you never know."

Zexion followed him back out to the street, asking quietly, "There's a rumor that a secret passage in the Cathedral goes to the Court of Existence. Is it true?" The Court of Existence was like the Cathedral, a neutral ground. There were two entrances, supposedly one in the Cathedral and one somewhere else, and usually it was used to solve disputes between gangs without fighting. It didn't always work, but it was worth trying.

"I've never actually been in the Cathedral, so I don't know." Demyx admitted sheepishly, running a hand through his hair. "I don't see why there couldn't be…" He smiled happily. "Come on, there's one more thing I want you to see!"

Demyx took him to the very edge of the city, where the buildings began to thin out. They wandered down a maze of twisting alleys in the last cluster of buildings, and Zexion found himself watching the back of Demyx's head as the musician led him along. Demyx was proving to be… more tolerable than he had initially thought. He actually liked the blond's company. And he had seen things tonight that he had never seen in eighteen years of living in Deep Dive City.

"Demyx, how do you know all of these places, if they're so secret?"

Demyx looked back over his shoulder to smile wryly. "Naminé and I used to go exploring when we were little. She'd go looking for interesting things to draw, and I would go with her. We found a lot of interesting things, but this one is by far the most interesting of all!" They rounded a last corner and were confronted with the edge of the woods that backed up to the city. A drainpipe, standing about five feet high, yawned open before them.

Zexion hesitated, but didn't try to stop Demyx as the other showed an obvious intention to enter the pipe. Demyx walked right up to where it opened, saying quietly, "It's a little short, but it opens up farther in. You'll be able to stand up straight once we get farther." He took a step forward, again feeling hesitation from the hand in his grasp, and turned to face Zexion.

"Please," he said, with a boyish smile. "Trust me."

Zexion stared as innocent, ocean eyes pleaded silently with him, and he couldn't help but agree, letting the musician lead the way into the pipe. Demyx was like a child in many ways, and Zexion couldn't help but think that this might be like the ice-cream parlor. Things aren't always what they seem.

Sure enough, the pipe widened enough to stand up at about thirty feet in. Demyx had pulled a flashlight from somewhere to illuminate the way, holding it with the hand not leading Zexion. They straightened up tall, though the pipe was still barely high enough to accommodate the taller blond. Demyx shined the light down the tunnel ahead of them, and Zexion gasped in surprise. As far as he could see, the walls were covered in art. Everything from graffiti to what looked like professional artwork. Scrawled words across the top of the pipe, over their heads, read in electric blue letters, 'Ruin and Creation's Passage'.

"What is this?" Zexion whispered, taking a few steps forward, reaching out to run his fingers over the painted images. An apocalyptic scene spread out beneath his fingertips, a silhouette of the city bathed in a fiery glow.

"I don't know." Demyx replied. "Naminé and I found it, a long time ago. One of her pictures is in here somewhere." He offered his hand where Zexion had let go to look at the walls, and the dancer took it easily, letting the other lead him down the fabulous tunnel.

There were so many scenes: a dark beach illuminated by silver moonlight, rocky purple platforms with glowing orbs hovering above them, a view from above of a town drenched in sunset, a tropical island covered in palm trees…

Demyx stopped beside a delicately painted image of a white, elaborate castle floating in a night-dark sky. "Naminé did that one. She called it the Castle that Could Have Been. I don't know what she was thinking, but it fits with the rest of this stuff."

"It's beautiful." Zexion murmured. Demyx opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but instead kept walking. The tunnel sloped downwards, and finally opened into a large underground cavern. There were pipes and cables everywhere, like some sort of engine room. A wooden sign at the end of the pipe-tunnel read, 'Cavern of Remembrance'.

"Where did all of this come from?" Zexion asked incredulously.

"No one I've talked to knows." Demyx replied. "Most don't know that this place exists." He indicated a slight path, leading through the cavern. "We'll have to do some climbing. You okay?"

"I've trained on circus poles, Demyx. I'm fine."

xXx

They made their way through the cavern slowly, eventually reaching the next area, a tall white hall lined with columns. At the end of this hall stood a door, and elegant script carved into the doorframe read 'Garden of Assemblage'. Demyx grasped the handle, waving Zexion closer and saying softly, "This is what I wanted you to see. Naminé and I came here… You'll like it." He opened the door, ushering Zexion through.

For a moment, the dancer wasn't sure what he was seeing. It certainly wasn't a 'garden' in the typical sense of the word. The room was circular, with stairs leading down into the center of the floor and a wide walkway running around the outside. The walkway was lined with arches, each arch filled with a sheet of glass with an image etched into it. The most amazing thing was above them, however, as water flowed up the walls and across the ceiling, through a small hole.

"I went to visit another city with Xemnas once…" Zexion said quietly, knowing Demyx was standing behind him. "It was called Radiant Garden, and they had a place called Rising Falls where the water flowed up."

Demyx took his hand again, and he didn't pull away. Instead, he brought the musician along with him as he began to walk around the walkway. Down in the center of the floor, there was a computer, and another door beneath the walkway. He asked quietly, "Have you tried to use the computer? Or go through the door?"

"The computer has a password on it." Demyx said. "And the door is locked."

Zexion nodded, looking at the images on the arches as he walked. A twisted airship, a pair of wings, a crossed flag and sword, a set of dice, a book… He paused, staring at the image presented to him. It was a thick book with metal-tipped corners and spine bindings, and the cover read simply 'Hallucination'. He stared at it for a long time, and finally said quietly, "This place… It feels… important."

"I've never seen anyone else here." Demyx said, equally quiet. "But you're right. It feels special." He glanced at the shorter dancer as Zexion yawned, and laughed. "Sorry to keep you out so late, Zex. C'mon, let's go back."

xXx

It was three-thirty in the morning when they finally returned to Second Circle. Demyx had hailed a cab, knowing that both of them were too tired to walk all the way back to the nightclub. As they rode along, Demyx just sat silently, enjoying the fact that Zexion was dozing against his shoulder. He had wanted to show the silveret the garden. He didn't know why; he just felt that he had finally found the right person to share it with.

When they pulled up in front of Second Circle, he shook the dancer gently. "You're home, Zexion." Zexion stirred, blinking sleepily at him, and Demyx couldn't help himself. He leaned over and kissed the dancer on the cheek, saying, "Go get some sleep. Sorry I kept you up."

Zexion, instead of reacting adversely, simply nodded in assent to the command and got out of the cab. Demyx watched him disappear through the back door, smiling faintly. He must be ridiculously sleepy not to notice that he'd been kissed, or at least not _care_ that he'd been kissed. Maybe he just needed to hang out around Sleepy Zexion more often. Laughing to himself at the thought, he gave the cab driver directions to his street, and settled back for the rest of the ride.

xXx

Morning dawned bright and green-tinted in the shared apartment of Vexen and Marluxia. Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the twining morning glory vines that climbed the dividers in the windowpanes. Vexen was sitting at his desk, finishing writing the monthly check for rent as Marluxia drifted around the room checking his plants to see if they needed water.

"I'm going in to work early today." Vexen said off-hand, signing the bottom of the check. Marluxia hummed questioningly, and Vexen continued, "I need to replace the ice-maker in the refrigerator in the kitchen, and it needs to be done before people start arriving, because I'm sure it will be loud and annoying."

"That's fine." Marluxia walked past him, flicking him in the back of the head on the way by.

Vexen growled. "I told you to stop doing that!"

"I love you too, dearest." Marluxia said, wandering into the kitchen, smiling where Vexen couldn't see. The blond man rolled his eyes, wondering how he had ever ended up in this relationship with the pinkette. But he really couldn't see life without Marluxia. They fit like puzzle pieces.

Vexen got up, remembering to scoop up the rent to drop in the landlord's mail slot downstairs, and called into the kitchen, "Marluxia, I'm leaving!"

Marluxia appeared, shoes on, obviously ready to leave. "I'll come too. Everything around here is done. I can help if you need me, or restock the bar so we don't have to do it later."

Vexen nodded. "All right. Well, come on then."

When they arrived, Marluxia waved and vanished through the door to Oblivion, leaving Vexen to set his things down in the kitchen and look around. There was a screwdriver in one of the drawers in the back room, and he set out to go get it so he could take out the broken ice-maker. But he stopped in the doorway to the back room, actually smiling softly at the sight before him. Zexion was laid out on the couch, fast asleep, looking like he hadn't actually made it up to bed the night before. Vexen moved quietly over to the couch, picking up the blanket that hung over the back of it and draping over the sleeping teenager. Zexion didn't move, only mumbling something slurred under his breath. Smiling to himself, Vexen retrieved the screwdriver and returned to the kitchen.

There was a plate and a glass sitting by the sink, showing that Xion had come in to get breakfast at some point. It was slightly odd to find Zexion asleep, especially considering that it was already eleven o'clock in the morning. Vexen shrugged to himself, figuring that the dancer had just been up late the night before, and set to work replacing the dead ice-maker.

xXx

When Marluxia wandered in twenty minutes later, Vexen was triumphantly shutting the door to the freezer, successful in his endeavor. Marluxia only raised an eyebrow, getting himself a glass of water. "It works now?"

"Of course it works. The purpose was to fix it, after all!"

Marluxia smiled. "So, where are Zexion and Xion? They're usually awake by this time."

"I heard footsteps earlier, so I would guess that Xion is upstairs." Vexen said. "The last that I saw Zexion, he was sleeping on the couch in the back room."

Before Marluxia could ask what circumstances had led to something so odd, the door to the kitchen opened and a half-awake Zexion stumbled in, going immediately to the cabinet and pulling out a bakery box full of cinnamon rolls. He poured himself milk from the fridge, sat down at the table, and began to eat. Only when one whole cinnamon roll was gone did he acknowledge the other two in the room. "Good morning, Vexen, Marluxia."

"Good morning, Zexion." Marluxia replied. "What were you up to last night to cause you to sleep so late?"

"Demyx convinced me to go walk around the city with him. We got back ridiculously late." Zexion said, finishing his second cinnamon roll and starting on a third. "I don't even remember getting here. I remember getting in the cab Demyx called to bring us back, and then I woke up on the couch this morning."

Marluxia glanced at Vexen, and said happily, "Our little Zexion, finally doing something social!"

"Hey!" But the indignant expression the dancer tried to use on him was ruined by icing smeared on his upper lip and hamster-full cheeks from the bite he'd just taken. Marluxia only laughed at him, and Vexen was quick to interject to dispel the tension.

"Xemnas has planned Karaoke Night for next Friday, Zexion." Unfortunately, that was not the right announcement to make. Zexion only groaned and rolled his eyes, closing up the box of cinnamon rolls and downing the rest of his glass of milk.

"Well, then, I will be taking next Friday off."

"Would it kill you to just participate for once?" Marluxia asked. "You have an amazing voice."

Zexion didn't even dignify that with a response. He put his dishes in the sink and the box back in the cabinet, and said calmly, "I'm going up to get ready for day shift." It was Saturday, which meant that there were people there the instant the doors opened. There wasn't any leeway for getting ready.

He wasn't really in a mood to talk about himself anyway. He'd had the strangest dream of kissing Demyx, and wasn't sure where it had come from, but waking up with the musician's name on his mind was not what he'd been expecting. Demyx was… not nearly as annoying as the dancer had originally thought, but still…

Marluxia and Vexen watched him go, and glanced at each other in puzzlement. There was something bothering Zexion, but neither of them could tell what it was. The younger teen never really talked about things that were bothering him, as evidenced by his refusal to speak of his past, and everyone else was left to grasp at straws and wonder what he was thinking. It could get frustrating at times, but everyone had essentially grasped the fact that it was a quirk that contributed to what made him 'Zexion'.

Marluxia leaned over to give Vexen a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to go put on my uniform. See you in a few minutes."

Vexen shrugged. "All right." He watched Marluxia walk out in the same direction as Zexion, and picked up a cloth to wipe down the tops of the tables. Zexion would come to terms with his problems, or he would finally tell someone. Either way, there was nothing they could do unless the teenager made the first move. Hopefully, things got better soon.

* * *

Zemyx-y enough for you? XD So yeah... Some relationshippy things happening, Vexen and Marluxia, and the Seekers...

...I do so love Vanitas. That is all.

Li

Reader Quest: What's in the Garden of Assemblage in the canon universe?  
Song list: Because the Night (various versions, mostly Patti Smith's version), Roses are Red by Aqua


	10. Ring of Fire

**Ring of Fire**

That same Saturday morning, Sora had gotten up early, because Riku had invited him to go to the arcade, before anyone else had really awakened. There were always fewer people in the mornings. Sora had stomped the dancer at the racecar game and Pac-Man, but had then made the foolish mistake of challenging him to Dance Dance Revolution. Riku had offered no outward signs of the impending doom awaiting the brunet, instead calmly putting his quarter in the machine. Sora selected medium, bringing up the song "Speed Over Beethoven" and waiting for Riku to choose his own difficulty.

His mouth fell open at the choice the dancer made. "Oni Mode…! Riku!" Oni Mode, the hardest mode there was on this machine, was near impossible.

Riku smirked. "Come on, Sora. Surely you underestimate me. I do dance for a living, remember?"

It was then that Sora realized exactly how far outmatched he was. But it was too late to back out. The song began, and while Sora could get through "Speed Over Beethoven" on medium without much trouble, he kept getting distracted by the sheer amount of arrows on Riku's half of the screen. The dancer was hitting almost all of them, moving so fast that to Sora's eyes his feet seemed like a blur.

When the song was over and the results appeared, Riku had scored AA rank, while Sora had only achieved A rank. He gaped at the screen, exclaiming, "But my mode was easier than yours!"

Riku shrugged. "I'm good at this. What do you think I practiced on when I first started working at Second Circle? I had to catch up to Zexion quickly, and he had about three years on me."

"I don't think my feet even can _move_ that fast!" Sora yelped. "Seriously, Riku, you must have super-speed or something!" He stepped off the machine, adopting the perfect 'defeated' stance. "Remind me never to play DDR with you ever again!"

Riku laughed, before glancing at the clock. "I didn't realize how late it was. We need to go by my house before I go to work. Are you coming?" He saw Sora hesitate, and remembered abruptly what the brunet knew of his family. "My brothers are never home during the day. Don't worry about it. It's fine."

Sora cracked a smile, nodding. "Sorry. It still throws me to know that your family is essentially in charge of the Angels." He followed the silveret out of the arcade, beginning to follow him through the streets of Deep Dive City.

xXx

When they reached Riku's house, Sora couldn't help but stare. It was a huge house by the standards of the city. He supposed it was only normal, considering the status that the brothers held, but it was still intimidating. He watched Riku pull a key from the pocket of his jacket, opening the front door and motioning Sora in. "You can sit in the kitchen for a minute. I'm going to run to my room and get a few things. We're staying overnight tonight, so I need pajamas and stuff."

Sora nodded, heading in the direction that Riku indicated and finding a spacious kitchen. It was simple, but elegantly decorated in a monochrome black-and-white color scheme. The only color in the room was in the light fixture, a cluster of colored orbs that sent color reflecting around the rest of the room. Sora listened to Riku climbing the stairs, staring at the light, entertained by the way the colors shifted as it moved in the slight breeze from the ceiling vent.

"Who are you?"

Jumping at the voice, a deep voice that most certainly didn't belong to Riku, Sora nearly fell out of his chair. One of the brothers, not Kadaj, the only one he would have recognized, was standing in the doorway. He was tall, with short hair the same shade of silver as Riku's. Sora stammered for a second, and managed to squeak, "Sora. I'm Riku's friend."

"I didn't know Riku was home…" the older male said thoughtfully. "I'm Loz, Riku's older brother. You probably know me as Afriel, or the Angel of Youth."

Sora nodded. "I've heard the name." It was one of the names associated with the Angels that people rarely said anything bad about. "Riku came back to get some things. He said they're staying overnight at the club." He paused, then asked somewhat apprehensively, "Is _everyone_ home right now?"

"No. Just me and Yazoo." Loz said. "Kadaj is out somewhere; I don't know what he's doing. And Sephiroth is dealing with something in Naught's Skyway, on the other side of the city."

That was a relief. Sora refused to show it, but he had been terrified of accidentally meeting the leader of the Angels. Loz seemed nice enough, and Kadaj hadn't seemed like a bad person when he had seen him a few nights ago. He glanced up as Riku reentered the kitchen, stopping dead when he saw Loz. "I didn't know anyone was home. You're usually all out."

"Yaz and I are here." Loz said, shrugging. He went to the fridge and got out a bottle of water, taking a long drink. "It's good to see that you are capable of being in the same house as us when we're all awake!"

Riku frowned. "…All of you are so involved, leading the Angels, and I can't deal with that. It's easier to not be around." He turned away. "Come on, Sora, I'm going to be late for work."

Sora hopped off of his stool to follow Riku, smiling at Loz on the way by. "Nice to meet you!" As they got outside, he said cheerfully, "Your brothers seem nice, Riku! Kadaj is fun, and Loz is kind of cool."

"You haven't met Sephiroth." Riku said dryly. "He's… intimidating, for lack of a better word. And that's when he's being nice. You don't want to see him when he's upset."

Sora laughed. "Whatever you say, Riku! You should be more positive! They're your brothers, after all."

"And I'm never allowed to forget it." Riku glanced around the street where they were walking, and saw a skinny, pale boy with white-blond hair stop dead and stare at him with wide eyes. He blinked at the boy, confused, and when the kid didn't stop staring, he called, "What? Something wrong?"

He couldn't have been older than Sora's age. He walked over, refusing to meet Riku's eyes, and asked, "You're Morningstar, right?"

Riku hesitated. "…Yes. What do you need?"

"I'm Dennis… I mean, Elijah, the Angel of Innocence. I just joined…" he said, talking quickly. "I had a question about how things worked, and I was told to go ask the high command…"

Riku blinked in surprise. He was lucky he'd caught this kid. If Sephiroth did happen to get home, he'd completely obliterate him. Rookies were not something Sephiroth wanted to waste his time with. "Who told you that asking the high command was a good idea?"

"Nisroc…" Dennis stammered.

Riku rolled his eyes. Leave it to the Angel of Freedom to throw a newbie to the wolves, probably as a joke. He smiled wryly, saying easily, "Do me a favor. Go back and find Nisroc, tell him that Morningstar gave you permission, and kick him in the shins. And don't worry about how things work. It comes to you in time."

Dennis gaped at him, wide eyed, and managed, "Yes, sir!" before running off in the opposite direction. Sora glanced over at Riku, grinning widely and poking him in the arm.

"See, you would be a good leader! You'd at least be sane, compared to how you talk about Sephiroth!"

Riku groaned. "He was your age, Sora. I just wanted to save him from having his head bitten off by our One-Winged Angel." He resumed walking, saying flatly, "Xemnas will kill me if I'm late for work again. Come on."

Sora followed him, a small frown on his face. "At least you have brothers, Riku. I'd kill to have four brothers who actually want me around."

"Sora…?" Riku wasn't sure what he was trying to ask, and settled for, "But you have Roxas and Ven and Cloud."

"Yeah." Sora laughed. "And ten years on the Destiny Islands when I only saw them maybe twice. After Mom and Dad died, they said I couldn't live with Cloud and the twins because their parents weren't home often enough to be effective legal guardians." He sighed. "No one really knows what happened, either. The car was fine the day before…"

"Well, you can have my family if you really want them, Sora." Riku said with a wry smile. "All dysfunction included."

"Uh… I'll pass on the dysfunction." After that, neither could keep a straight face, and they laughed all the way to the nightclub.

xXx

Day shift, like most days, proved extremely uneventful. Teenagers filled the club, dancing and clowning around, and the dancers really didn't have to do much work at all. Roxas had been happy to find that his cousin had been hanging out with Riku, and was then staying at the nightclub all afternoon. But unfortunately, he had to be kicked out with the rest. Leon hadn't given permission for him to spend the night with the rest of the employees. Ven couldn't come either, though Cloud had grudgingly granted Roxas permission to stay. Naminé was staying, and both of the O'Donohue siblings were sure that Larxene wouldn't mind. Because tonight was Ring of Fire night, and it was the first one that Roxas was allowed to stay for.

It was also the only special occasion where drinks were allowed in the main room. Axel lived for this night. It was called Ring of Fire night because flaming drinks were served, for one thing, and also stemmed from the concept of calling alcohol "firewater". It was one night where there were no limits. And after everyone was sent home at one, when the club closed, the employees finished off what was left. That was why they spent the night: so they could pass out drunk without worrying about going home. Vexen even relaxed his policy on the younger employees, letting them have somewhat watered-down drinks, as many as they could drink.

"This is awesome!" Axel shouted, carrying a tray of glasses filled with baked Alaska. Vexen, after the Tiramisu incident, had made it a point to try combinations named for other desserts. This one was chocolate and strawberry liquors, and cream. High-proof ethanol was dripped on top, and lit on fire to burn away, just like a real baked Alaska.

Naminé looked up from where she was sitting in the corner of the Oblivion Bar, watching him set the tray down on one of the tables and pulling out a long lighter. Several people gathered around, clapping and cheering as the drinks went up in flames. Naminé smiled, glancing over at the bar where Marluxia and Vexen had set up a long domino line of Jägerbombs. People cheered as Marluxia tipped the first shotglass, sending all them over in a long clinking line.

Naminé smiled, continuing her drawing of an abstract colored spiral, figuring it wasn't a good idea to draw anything serious tonight. She sipped her piña colada and watched the fires flicker, mesmerizing.

Out on the dance floor, it had dissolved into what was essentially a wild mosh-pit. Demyx was cranking trance and techno music, grinning at the moshing crowd below. Roxas and Zexion were mingling, dancing with the crowd. Zexion glanced over at Roxas, smiling, and Roxas made his way closer.

"Having fun, Zex?" he yelled over the music.

Zexion nodded. "It's interesting to watch people. They show a completely different side of themselves when they're intoxicated."

Roxas laughed. "I can't believe you let Xion down here in this mess!"

"Xi's with Riku. She'll be okay." Zexion blinked in surprise as Roxas whirled around and high-kicked a man squarely in the chest. The man stumbled back, knocking over at least two others, all of them laughing about it drunkenly. Zexion raised an eyebrow. "Roxas?"

"Pervert tried to grope me." Roxas grumbled. "This isn't that kind of club, damn it."

Zexion laughed, nudging him in the shoulder. "Thank goodness Xemnas gave us permission to defend ourselves however we deem necessary. Plus, that man will be too drunk to remember you flooring him."

"Good."

Across the floor, nearer the edge of the room, Riku was dancing with Xion. The two teenagers hadn't actually had anything to drink yet, despite the amount of alcohol around the room. Xion grabbed Riku's hand, letting him spin her, and said, "Thanks for staying with me, Riku. I didn't want to be stuck upstairs." She was breathless from dancing, and Riku smiled fondly.

"It's fine, Xion. I don't mind. I like spending time with you."

The black-haired girl jumped up, throwing her arms around his neck and letting him support her weight. Riku chuckled, spinning her around the edge of the floor, ignoring the other people bumping and grinding and other things that Riku didn't really want to know. When he set Xion on her feet, he reached for her hand, suggesting cheerfully, "Let's go see if Vexen will make us some Tiramisus." Xion nodded eagerly, and they both headed off in the direction of Oblivion.

xXx

Eventually, all the non-employees were kicked out, the front doors were locked, and the remaining drinks were carted into the main room, where the employees of Second Circle proceeded to drink themselves silly. As it turned out, Roxas was a clingy, giggly drunk. He latched onto Axel's arm, laughing at absolutely nothing. Even Xemnas, Saïx, Vexen, and the two bouncers joined in, despite being the "responsible adults" of the employees.

Axel put on a show that was usually too dangerous when there were other drunken customers around. He had perfected mixing Blue Blazers, and saved the talent for special occasions or among friends. It was only whiskey punch, but when mixing, it was poured back and forth between two cups while on fire. The flames burned blue, and Axel could hold the cups amazingly far apart, creating a long ribbon of blue fire.

Someone eventually started a game of Spin the Bottle, and several embarrassing kisses followed. Marluxia had to kiss Xaldin, Xion had to kiss Roxas, Xemnas had to kiss Saïx, to his employees' great entertainment, Riku had to kiss Xion, and Axel had to kiss Zexion. But knowing the dancer's aversion to such things, he only kissed him on the cheek, to the taunting of the others and a glomp from Roxas.

Demyx was surprised by how much all of them ended up drinking. Sometime at around three in the morning, Axel and Roxas had passed out in a heap in one corner. Saïx had thrown a blanket haphazardly over them, before succumbing to alcohol himself. Lexaeus, Xaldin, and Vexen knew enough to know when to stop, and had actually legitimately decided to go to sleep. Xemnas was asleep on one of the couches, Naminé was asleep on the other, and Riku had fallen asleep cuddling Xion. Demyx was certain that Zexion would have something to say about it, were the dancer not glassy-eyed from alcohol, clinging to his arm like it was salvation.

He caught Vexen's eye across the room, gesturing towards the stairs to indicate that he was going to put Zexion to bed. There weren't any more couches, and the floor didn't seem very comfortable. Vexen nodded, and Demyx scooped the dancer up and carried him upstairs.

Once they reached Zexion's room, Demyx set him on his own feet and looked around. It was a huge room for one person, big enough for a set of bookshelves and a reading nook in one corner, as well as a large wardrobe and dresser. A window looked out on the street in front of the club.

He turned around to find that Zexion had taken off his shirt and was engaged in a fight with the comforter. Laughing to himself, he helped the silveret untangle the covers, and turned to return downstairs when a small voice stopped him.

"Don't leave…" Zexion was clearly wasted beyond knowing what he was saying. Demyx took a few steps back towards the silveret, and Zexion threw his arms around him, much drunker than Demyx had initially thought. "Everyone leaves, all I have is my sister, my parents are gone and I'm scared. I don't want to be alone."

"You're not alone. Everyone is right downstairs." Demyx said, uncertain. "You'll be fine."

"Please stay!" The look on Zexion's face, despite the fact that his eyes were wider than Demyx had ever seen them and that he could barely maintain the balance to stay on his feet, convinced him. He nodded slowly, and Zexion seemed satisfied, climbing into bed. Demyx hesitated. With his face flushed and his eyes so bright, Zexion was beautiful. He toed off his shoes and climbed in next to the dancer, tensing as Zexion decided to cling to his arm. This wasn't going to turn out well in the morning, but for the moment… He was just going to enjoy being this close to the object of his affections. Zexion's skin was soft where they touched, and for the first time, the ice prince that Demyx had become so familiar with was replaced by something distinctly warm and human.

He gave in to the desire to reach up and run his fingers through Zexion's hair, knowing he would likely never get another opportunity. He thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't drunk himself into unconsciousness, or he would have missed out. Pulling Zexion close, he decided not to worry about the morning, and drifted off to sleep.

xXx

Across the city, under cover of darkness, two figures stood in a narrow alley. They embraced, and the man kissed his girlfriend softly.

"I don't like this plan." Aqua whispered, her arms wrapped tightly around him. "It's dangerous. If you're caught, I'm sure they would kill you."

Terra brushed her hair away from her face and touched his lips to her forehead. "This is the only way. Xemnas wants to know what the Seekers are up to, and if I can get close to them, I'll find out everything we need to know."

"And I can't come with you."

Terra shook his head. "I need you to be my contact with the others, and to look out for Ven. I don't want any of them hurt by association. Please, Aqua."

Aqua hesitated, then sighed. "I've never been able to talk you out of anything." She hugged him tightly. "Be careful, Terra. I love you, and if anything happens to you, I won't know what to do." Letting him go, she stepped back into the shadows, silently giving him permission to go forward with his plan.

Terra turned away, stepping out into the street where he had promised to wait. This was dangerous; Aqua was right about that. But for his brother, to make sure that things didn't get too out of control… Xemnas didn't always realize how much power he had in the underground. His nightclub was something different than a simple dance palace or bar. It was a rock, a glimmer of normalcy in the chaos, and Terra knew how important it was to protect that.

He saw a figure waving, and hurried to meet them. There were three of them, on the steps of one of the buildings. The only light came from a nearby streetlamp, and Terra could barely make out the men who had come to meet him.

"Men" wasn't entirely accurate. One was only a teenager, one was possibly his age, and one was older. All three were dressed rather oddly. He raised an eyebrow. "This is the best the Seeker of Darkness can do? A teenager, a vampire, and a pirate?"

"Don't be a smart-aleck, or yeh might find yerself speared on the end of me sword!" The oldest of the three, who had on a wide-brimmed hat with a feather and an elaborate red coat, brandished a rapier at him. He took a step back, surprised. Yes, many of the city's residents preferred swords over guns, but it was still a shock to have one pointed at his face.

"Leave him alone." the teenager said. He swept Terra a theatrical bow, smiling. Now that Terra really looked at him, he looked rather like Sora, if Sora had raven hair and an unholy light in golden eyes. The teen smirked, saying, "I am Vanitas Schatten, Seeker of Completion. My companions are Hook, Seeker of Riches, and-"

He was interrupted by the final member of the three, dressed in a tattered red cloak. "The Seeker of Redemption." he intoned, deliberately leaving out his name. Crimson eyes studied Terra from beneath black hair.

Terra only half-heard them. Vanitas? He knew that name. He'd never met the boy personally, but Aqua and Ven had spoken of him briefly. He'd been another childhood friend of theirs, before something happened. Neither liked to speak of him, and now Terra saw why.

"I'm Terra." he said quietly, and Vanitas raised an eyebrow.

"Terra… what?"

"If he is allowed to not speak his name, I do not feel the need to give out my surname." Terra replied calmly, indicating the Seeker of Redemption. If they knew his last name, they could connect him with Xemnas and Second Circle, and that was the last thing that he wanted.

"Impudent brat!" Hook snarled, but the red-cloaked man put a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait. Let us see what he wants." He turned to Terra, asking quietly, "You put out word that you wished to speak to the Seekers. What is it that you are looking for?"

The man's unusual crimson eyes might have bothered Terra, were he not used to his brother's intense orange stare. He hesitated a moment, then said firmly, "I want to join the Seekers."

Vanitas laughed. "What makes you think that you have any qualities that we would want around?"

Terra frowned at the boy. "The underground is in chaos. There's fighting everywhere. I feel that if I can become part of one of the groups involved, I can understand what is going on. The Gamblers aren't particularly prominent in their control, and the Angels are lead by a man too arrogant for my taste." That part, at least, was the truth. "This seemed the best choice for aligning my allegiance."

Vanitas seemed prepared to say something scathing or rude, but the Seeker of Redemption interrupted him again. "We will speak with the Seeker of Darkness, and we will have an answer for you soon, Terra."

"Thank you…" Terra blinked as Redemption nodded to him and walked away into the darkness. Vanitas and Hook seemed unhappy with the response, but followed. When Terra was finally alone on the street, Aqua hurried out of hiding and embraced him. Terra smiled, holding her close. "See? No need to worry. I'm fine."

"There were _three_ of them. Of course I was worried!" she objected. "I don't like you trying to do these things on your own. I wish you would let me work with you."

"Did you see who one of those three was?" Terra asked seriously. "Vanitas Schatten. He introduced himself as the Seeker of Completion. I can't think that that's a common name, so I'm assuming it's the same Vanitas that you told me about once."

"Ven's childhood friend…" Aqua murmured. "I haven't seen him in years. When he started to change and became inspired to join the Seekers, Ven stopped speaking to him."

"So it's better if you're not right there next to me. They don't know of my connection to Xemnas. We're half-brothers, so we don't look that much alike. As long as they don't find that out, I'm safe. But Vanitas will recognize you, and trace you to Ven and Ven to Roxas, who works at the nightclub."

Aqua nodded slowly. "…I suppose you're right. But you have to let me know if there is anything I can do to help you."

"Of course." Terra smiled. "Come on, let's go home for tonight." He reached for her hand, and together they left the dark streets behind.

xXx

Almost three-quarters of the way across the city, Xigbar was perched on top of the roof of a coffee shop. A cup of coffee with extra espresso sat beside him, and he stared down at the street with a melancholy expression. How hard could it be to find some kid whose parents the Seekers had offed ten years ago? The only explanation that Xigbar had was that the kid had left the city.

Waaaaait a minute… Roxas had been saying something a few days ago. Something about his cousin moving _back _to Deep Dive City, after his parents had died in a car wreck _ten years ago_. He'd been on Destiny Islands all that time, where no one would think to look for him…

Xigbar grinned. This warranted more investigation. But at least it was a lead, and that was more than he'd had in, well… _ever_. Tonight was definitely looking up.

* * *

I've almost caught up to my prewritten stuff. Cursed lack of computer time! Anyway, Ring of Fire night is done. If anyone out there is old enough, someone try making Tiramisu's or Baked Alaska's. Blue Blazers are a real drink, but I made those two up off the top of my head.

Hard question today! Hint, it's Final Fantasy, not Kingdom Hearts!

Li

Reader Quest: The light fixture is made of materia, and "Schatten" means shadows, but who is the Seeker of Redemption?  
Song List: Speed Over Beethoven (from DDR), the first minute or so of "The 13th Anthology" from Kingdom Hearts


	11. Empty Melodies

**Empty Melodies**

The next morning, Zexion woke up with a headache, feeling like he'd been hit by a truck. This was to be expected, considering that he'd spent almost all of the previous night consuming various kinds of alcohol. Normally in this situation, he'd already be up, searching the cabinet in the bathroom for aspirin or trekking down to the kitchen to find the hangover remedy that Vexen had finally perfected, much to the joy of all. But he was unusually warm and comfortable, so for the moment, aspirin and miracle cures could wait in favor of staying in bed just a little while longer. He snuggled deeper into the pillows, sighing and trying to ignore his throbbing head.

And then his pillow moved.

He almost jerked away in shock, but kept still and kept his eyes shut. That had very obviously been an _arm_, wrapped around his waist, and _so help him_ if it was anyone other than Xion, he'd _beat them senseless_. He cracked open one eye, flinching as the light assaulted his hangover-sensitive sight, and peered at the baby-blue t-shirt that filled his vision. It definitely wasn't Xion, and as the person pulled him closer and mumbled something in his sleep, Zexion realized who exactly it was.

Demyx. The same Demyx that he'd had a dream about kissing, here in his bed. God damn it all. Zexion got up, pushing off the covers and Demyx's arm all in one smooth motion. He was still wearing pants, at least, meaning that he hadn't done anything stupid in his drunken state. But… if that was the case, why the hell was Demyx in his room? In his _bed_? He yanked open one of his dresser drawers with more force than necessary, retrieving a plain blue shirt that matched his eyes.

Demyx stirred as Zexion's motion shifted the bed, sitting up to rub his eyes before focusing on Zexion. "Good morning!" he said cheerfully. Zexion fixed him with an icy glare.

"What are you doing in my room?" The question was flat and pointed.

Demyx frowned. "You asked me to stay last night." Seeing Zexion ready to object, he continued quickly, "I brought you up here to put you to bed, since you were really drunk and there weren't any more couches downstairs. Vexen said it was okay. But when I went to leave, you said that you didn't want to be alone. You were really upset."

Zexion vaguely remembered clinging to the musician's arm, and internally cursed himself. "Well, I'm fine now. You can go back downstairs." All he needed was some of Vexen's hangover concoction. He'd be better in ten minutes.

Demyx sighed. The ice was back. He climbed out of bed, straightening his shirt and walking over to put a hand on Zexion's shoulder. Ignoring the way the dancer tensed, he asked, "Why won't you tell me what's the matter? Something is obviously wrong. You wouldn't be so clingy when you're drunk otherwise. It's more than just your parents."

Zexion refused to look at him. "Why do you even care?"

"You're my friend, Zex." the musician said, not backing down. "And I've told you before that I'm in love with you. It's just you who won't believe that." He thought about forcing the silveret to face him, but decided it was a bad idea. "I love you, and whatever the problem is, it won't change that."

Zexion pulled away. "You've known me for maybe two weeks, Demyx. It's foolish to think that you could understand someone enough to love them in that short an amount of time."

"Just because you can't get close to people easily doesn't mean that I can't." Demyx retorted. "You play the apathetic ice prince, but you really care. About everyone here, not just Xion. You keep Riku from having a nervous breakdown about his family, and you listen to Axel's crazy ideas. You let Roxas stay the night when he had trouble with his brother. But at the same time, you keep your distance."

"Demyx, stop it." Zexion said. "You don't understand…"

"I understand just fine." Demyx said. "You're scared. You said as much last night. You're scared that you're going to lose everyone, so you won't let anyone get close!"

Still facing away from Demyx, Zexion's eyes widened. "Don't presume…"

"Zexion. We're not going to disappear. Not Roxas, not Riku, not Marluxia or Vexen or Xemnas. And certainly not me."

"You don't know that!" Something finally snapped, pushed past the breaking point, and Zexion whirled on the musician, his eyes glinting blue fire. "You have no idea what it's like to lose almost everyone important to you in one go! I _will not_ go through that again! I will not let myself or you be hurt!" He scowled. "It would be better for you to just stay away from me."

Demyx could only watch helplessly as Zexion slipped from the room. He sighed, sinking to sit on the bed with his head in his hands. What could he do to get through to the dancer?

"_It's only fear that makes you run; the demons that you're hiding from…_" He mumbled the lyric under his breath. What was Zexion running from? Why was he so afraid? Unless he wanted to talk… Demyx would probably never know.

xXx

Zexion broke into a run as soon as he was out of Demyx's sight. Down the stairs, reflexes honed from his talent allowing him to maintain speed, he dashed through the back room, down the hallway past the offices and into the kitchen. He rummaged through the cabinet until he found Vexen's hangover remedy. No one else needed it, since no one else was awake yet. He poured some in a glass and downed it. When he put the glass in the sink, the door behind him opened, and Vexen himself walked in.

"Zexion?" Vexen said, sounding surprised. "You are up early. Do you feel all right?"

Zexion looked at him for a second, then nodded slowly and hurried out the back door. Vexen was left staring after him, puzzled by the fact that he had left still in his dancing clothes, with no shoes on. Zexion wasn't sure where he was going at all. He let his feet guide him, wandering the streets in the early morning light with no clear direction.

It was only when Zexion found himself outside of a rundown, abandoned church that he realized where his feet had been taking him. He laughed to himself. The Cathedral of Empty Melodies was a neutral zone. He would be okay here. Finding the side door that De… … Well, the door that he had been shown, he tried the knob. It wasn't locked, and he slipped inside.

He made his way to the main hall of the cathedral, where he was met with an amazing sight. The stained glass window that crowned the far wall was made up of many shades of blue, a beautiful sky surrounding a heart-shaped moon: the symbolic representation of Kingdom Hearts. The common belief was that when someone died, their heart returned to Kingdom Hearts, strengthening its power while the heart waited for rebirth. In front of the altar, the floorboards had been broken away, exposing a patch of ground. Flowers grew there, nurtured by the sunlight shining through a broken portion of the ceiling.

Zexion got about halfway up the aisle before collapsing. "Oh… Oh, Kingdom Hearts, what have I done…?" He sank down to sit cross-legged in the large hall, the wooden boards cool to the touch of his bare feet. He buried his face in his hands, feeling the wet tracks of tears on his cheeks, the sob building up in his throat. "What have I…?" The musician had done nothing but be kind to him. Zexion could see in his mind's eye the hurt look in Demyx's eyes as the dancer shot down his original confession.

_ "Don't you believe in love at first sight?"_

_ "A foolish notion, encouraged by fairy-tales and other silly make-believe."_

He pulled his knees to his chest and cried. It wasn't fair. He was so caught up in normally-hidden emotions, he missed the person that came up behind him, only returning to awareness once the person knelt to wrap arms loosely around him in a hug. He didn't struggle, somehow knowing that this person could be trusted, and he didn't jump or flinch when a soft, kind voice asked, "Why are you crying?"

"There's someone…" Zexion murmured. "Someone who loves me. He says he does, and I'm really starting to believe him. But I keep pushing him away."

"Why?"

"I'm scared." Zexion said. "He's right. I'm scared of getting too close and then losing him. I wouldn't be able to deal with that again…"

The person got up, circling around in front of him. It was a young woman with long brunette hair done in a braid. She was wearing a pink dress, and had soft emerald eyes. "I am the Angel of Mercy. I look after this church. Even though I'm technically part of the Angels, this is neutral ground." Seeing the look on Zexion's face, she smiled kindly at him. "You don't have to tell me who you are. But tell me about him, this boy who loves you."

"He's… like the sun. He's always so cheerful… Like a little kid." Zexion said quietly. "Even when I was cold to him, he kept trying to be close to me. I… I just kept trying to push him away. I told him this morning that it would be better for him to just stay away from me."

"Do you really believe that?"

"No."

The Angel of Mercy reached out to brush her fingertips against his cheek. "Do you love him?" she asked gently. Zexion sighed.

"…Yes."

"Why?"

It might have seemed like a strange question, but Zexion had an answer. "Because he is the other half of me. I never really got to be a teenager. He never really grew up." He didn't have the will to deny it anymore.

"Two sides of the same coin?"

"We balance each other." Zexion finally smiled, looking up at the Angel of Mercy. "Thank you."

"No thanks are needed." she replied. "I am happy to have helped, in any small way." She got to her feet, brushing off her dress. "I need to water the flowers, but feel free to stay as long as you need."

Zexion watched her disappear into the back rooms, obviously looking for a watering can, and smiled to himself. He cared for Demyx. More than he'd cared about anyone but his sister for a long time.

He'd just have to learn to not be afraid.

xXx

After Zexion's abrupt exit, Vexen had retrieved his hangover cure and returned to the main room to administer it to the younger employees, who had consumed significantly more alcohol than their more mature counterparts. A swallow of hangover remedy and ten minutes later most of them were lucid and capable of functioning. Therefore, everyone was aware that something had happened. Vexen in particular was waiting for Demyx to come downstairs. He had at least one question for the musician. He didn't think Demyx would have tried to hurt the dancer, but Zexion reacted to things oddly sometimes. Even something Demyx had said might have inadvertently sparked a reaction, whether he meant it or not.

When Demyx finally trailed miserably into the room, no one spoke. The musician didn't even notice, caught up in his own woes. It was Vexen who finally asked, "What happened to Zexion?"

Demyx blinked. "I didn't do anything, I swear. He's… He hates me."

"_Something_ happened after you took him up to bed last night, Demyx."

Axel, who had been significantly the most drunk out of the group, and who also hadn't recovered all the way, heard Vexen's statement and took it entirely the wrong way. He considered Zexion part of his family, and his protective instincts kicked in. "Wait, you slept in Zexion's room? What did you do? If you took advantage of him while he was drunk I'll kill you!" He was finally silenced by Roxas, who clapped a hand over his mouth, shaking his head and rolling his eyes at his boyfriend's behavior.

Demyx explained quietly that he had gotten in a fight with Zexion, and the dancer had gotten upset and left. Nothing inappropriate had happened, he assured Axel.

When everyone was satisfied with the explanation, they agreed that they best thing would probably be to go look for him. If Zexion was upset, it probably wasn't a good idea to let him wander around. They broke up into groups and set out, determined to find the silveret and bring him home.

It was Demyx who grabbed Vexen's arm, saying quickly that he had an idea of where Zexion might be. Vexen started to ask a question, but then stopped and simply followed the musician out into the city.

xXx

Zexion was still in the Cathedral, watching the Angel of Mercy walk amongst the flowers in the broken patch of floor, watering can in hand. He looked up in surprise when the side door banged open and shut, and a tall man with black hair burst in.

"Aerith!" he called cheerfully, striding over to embrace the girl and press a quick kiss to her lips. In Zexion's opinion, he looked like a black porcupine had exploded on his head.

She returned the kiss before pushing him away, smiling. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I have someone here. You've just told him my name."

It was almost comical how wide the stranger's violet eyes got. He looked over at Zexion, smiling sheepishly like a child caught misbehaving. "Forget you heard that?"

"No." Zexion replied. He got up from where he'd been sitting, walking over to offer the other his hand. "Zexion Ishida. I won't tell anyone, but I won't forget."

"All right then, Zexion." The raven-haired man shook his hand. "I'm Zackary Fair, Zack for short. Also Nisroc, the Angel of Freedom." He waved his other hand in Aerith's direction. "My girlfriend is Aerith Gainsborough. She's the Angel of Mercy, and she's the only one of us without a call-name." He peered at Zexion curiously for a moment, then said brightly, "I know you! You're one of the dancers at Second Circle! Is Riku doing okay? And Roxas. Do you see his brother Cloud much?"

"Riku's fine." Zexion said with a small smile. "Stressing about his brothers or work or something. We try to keep him calm." Puzzled, he then asked, "Do you know Cloud?"

"Cloud's one of our old friends." Zack explained. "He doesn't talk to us much anymore since he found out that we were part of the Angels. He's got a bad grudge against Sephiroth. But Seph is one of my oldest friends, the second friend I ever made, and I'd follow him to the ends of the earth."

"Cloud seems… displeased, a lot of the time. He doesn't like it that Roxas is working with us, but he's getting used to it."

Zack laughed. "That sounds like the Cloud I know! He pouts when he doesn't like something." He sighed. "When he figured out that we were Angels, he was so unhappy. But he doesn't see the bigger picture. The Seekers… If there were no Angels, this city would be a lot worse off than it is. But we'll leave our spiky-headed friend to his brooding, until he comes around."

Zexion found himself smiling entirely against his will. "I will tell Riku that I met you. I'm glad that I did." He suddenly became aware of exactly how long he'd been sitting in the Cathedral, and said quietly, "I should return to Second Circle. They'll be worried about me."

Aerith nodded. "Come back anytime that you need to. Everyone is welcomed here."

Zexion bid farewell to the two Angels, making his way back to the side door. Zack and Aerith seemed different from normal Angels. Maybe it was because Aerith's position made her neutral. Still thinking, he absently opened the door and made his way out to the street in front of the Cathedral. He stopped as he saw Vexen and Demyx standing there.

Vexen didn't say anything, but walked over and hugged the dancer tightly. He'd been taking care of Zexion since the boy was eight years old, and even though he was technically a legal adult now, it didn't stop Vexen from worrying about him. "Tell someone where you're going next time."

Zexion nodded, knowing that he had worried his friend. He stepped back, looking over at Demyx, who wouldn't meet his eyes. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Demyx. I over-reacted this morning."

Demyx looked up at him, smiling as usual, but there was a wall behind his eyes. Something had closed off. "Apology accepted."

"You were right." Zexion said. "This morning…" But he couldn't speak past the sudden lump in his throat, and he swallowed thickly. He couldn't say it. Ten years of pushing away, of numbness and denial and refusal, came back to destroy him as he tried to speak. He _wanted_ to say it, he really did, but it didn't matter. Some reflex he had built up wouldn't let him. He realized abruptly that he had barely spoken such endearments to Xion, much less someone who wasn't related to him. But he wanted to speak.

_Because it hurts to be heartless._

Vexen smiled faintly. "We should return to Second Circle. We'll call the others and let them know that we found you."

Zexion found that on some level, he was shocked. "Everyone is out looking for me?" For some reason, he couldn't imagine it. But on another level, it made sense.

"Of course." Vexen replied. "We were worried." Demyx already had his cell phone out, punching in Axel's number so that the redhead could call those whose numbers he did not have.

"Yeah… Uh-huh… We found him. Yeah. He was walking down the street near that restaurant… Yeah, that one…"

Zexion knew that Demyx avoided mentioning the Cathedral on purpose. Vexen didn't know where he had come out of, so it was fine. To the older man, it simply looked like Zexion had walked out of the alley. Aerith certainly couldn't afford to have the Cathedral's location be common knowledge, because people would be there all the time, and now that Zexion had met her in person, he would do his part to protect it as well.

xXx

After they returned to the nightclub, the others began to return one group at a time. Axel ruffled the silveret's hair before shoving him good-naturedly. "Don't just run off on us like that! I accused Demyx of molesting you or something!"

Zexion shoved back half-heartedly. "I won't. Why would you think…?" He realized what Axel had actually said and promptly flushed. "WHAT?"

"Well, can you blame me?" Axel asked, promptly defending himself. "Vexen said that he took you to bed when you were drunk last night. I was really hung over at the time. Can you honestly blame me for interpreting it wrong?"

Demyx was red, staring at the floor. "I wouldn't do that…"

Axel waved his hands absently. "Although, I'm sure that a drunk Zexion is just as sharp as a normal Zexion, and would resist any attempts to sex him up." He shrugged, ignoring that Demyx had gone from red to an odd scarlet-purple color, and Zexion looked ready to stab him with the nearest blunt object to ensure that it hurt.

"Shut up, Axel." Roxas said, and Naminé slipped her hand into her brother's, squeezing it.

Xion hugged Zexion, and he wrapped his own arms around her in return, threading his fingers through her blue-black hair. Things would be different from now on. Demyx was right. He couldn't be afraid of getting close to people. That… That wasn't what his parents would have wanted. For Xion's sake, and for his own.

xXx

_It was raining in the Deep Dive City._

_ Huge drops pounded the pavement, drenching anyone unfortunate enough to be caught out in the weather. It was late, about one-fifteen in the morning, so few were out. Most were safely warm and dry in their homes. But two children hurried down the darkened streets, soaked through. The younger of the two was crying._

_ "You're pulling my arm!"_

_ Her brother loosened his grip. "Sorry, Xi. I didn't mean to." He paused, looking back at her through silver-blue bangs that hung in his eyes and plastered wetly to his cheeks._

_ "Xi…" the little girl murmured, and the boy put his hands on her shoulders._

_ "Xion Ishida. That's you. And I'm Zexion." He tried to smile, but it didn't work well. Taking her hand again, they kept walking. It was almost too dark to see, moon and stars covered by thick rainclouds. Few lights were on in the alley they wandered through, until they emerged onto a wider street. A lit sign proclaimed the building before them as "Second Circle". As they watched, the sign went dark, and Zexion frowned. This place was closed too. He sighed, squeezing Xion's hand as more of a reassurance to himself than her, and headed towards another alley between the club and the building next to it._

_ He stopped dead at the alley's entrance, seeing the people emerging from a side door of the club. There were five of them: a tall man in red, with blond hair, another with silver hair, one with black dreadlocks, a skinny man with blond hair straight to his waist, and a teenager with a physique like a brick wall._

_ It was the man in red who saw them first. He blinked once or twice, as if disbelieving of what he was seeing, and then called to them, "Are you lost?"_

_ Zexion shook his head slowly. They weren't lost._

_ The man took a step closer. "Do you need help?"_

_ Zexion looked back over his shoulder, first at Xion and then at the darkened streets, as if searching for phantoms. Slowly he nodded. He was surprised when, despite the wet pavement, the man knelt to look him in the eyes._

_ "What's your name?" he asked gently._

_ "I…" Zexion hesitated. "I'm Zexion Ishida. This is my sister, Xion."_

_ The man smiled. "I am Ansem Wisen. Don't worry, Zexion. Everything will be okay…"_

* * *

Remember Nisroc playing mean jokes on Dennis? Here he is, my favorite Final Fantasy guy. :D Zack is mine. Back away, fangirls. XD

And so we are one step closer to actual Zemyx, one chapter closer to karaoke night, and one flashback closer to understanding what's going on. It's all good.

I had my senior assembly today. I graduate from high school a week from next Wednesday! *insert fireworks and ticker-tape parade here* Enjoy your sappy chapter!

Li

Reader Quest: …I don't think I have one. Uh… What is the Cathedral named after?  
Song List: I'm the Only One by Melissa Etheridge, Aerith's Theme (from Final Fantasy VII), The Other Promise (from Kingdom Hearts)


	12. Blood and Ink in Equal Measure

**Blood and Ink in Equal Measure**

"So I was thinking of getting tattoos."

It was the afternoon, after the search for Zexion was over. All of the employees were taking the opportunity to spend the day lounging in the closed nightclub, temporarily absolved of their duties to work. The response to the out-of-the-blue statement was varied. Xigbar merely raised his one existing eyebrow. Saïx and Riku stared blankly, Saïx's crossword puzzle forgotten for the moment. Roxas frowned disapprovingly and said, "Where?"

Axel smiled widely. "On my face. It'll look awesome!"

Roxas had a sudden, vivid mental image of Axel with a tattoo of a green dragon curled all over his face, and cringed. "No!" He would not allow it. Not only would it look terrible, but his brother would _freak_.

He opened his eyes to see Axel staring at him in confusion. "Uh, Rox…? What are _you_ thinking?"

"You're not getting tattoos all over your face!"

"Not all over." Axel explained. "Something small. I want diamonds, little tear-drop diamond things under my eyes." He snagged the pen Saïx was using for his crossword puzzle and pinned his friend to the chair, drawing the shapes on the blunet's face. "Like that?"

Saïx rubbed at the offending ink, shoving Axel away. "You'll look ridiculous." He struggled to get the marks off of his face, until Xigbar batted his hands away, licking his thumb and scrubbing at the spots Saïx missed. As he scrubbed, he said offhandedly, "I'd rethink your placement, man. Having stuff done to your face hurts like a bitch, as X-face and I can tell you." He reached up to tap on the scar that ran down his cheek, and then at the faint lines that scored the "X" into Saïx's face.

"I can take it." Axel huffed. "Can't be as bad as whatever gave you that gouge, Xigbar."

"I'm with Saïx." Roxas insisted. "I think you'll look funny."

Axel smiled broadly. "So… Do you two want to make a bet, then? Saïx, if I go through with it and look ridiculous, I owe you a hundred bucks and helping you with paperwork. If I look _awesome_, you owe me a hundred bucks and helping me with the script for the next weapons exhibition."

Saïx hesitated, then nodded. "I'll take that bet. I think you'll look like a harlequin."

"What about me?" Roxas asked. "I don't have a hundred bucks on hand!"

Axel's expression shifted to a wicked smirk. "If I don't look like a fool… you have to make out with me in front of your brother. If I do look like a fool, I'll do whatever you ask of me for three whole days."

Roxas weighed his options, potential embarrassment in front of his brother compared to having Axel at his beck and call for three days. There were so many things he could have the redhead do… but he risked having to let Axel ravish him in front of his brother… It was worth it. He held out his hand, and Axel shook it, grinning like a demon.

"Good, Roxas!" he said. "I'll go this afternoon. We'll see who's right!" Looking over, he asked Xigbar and Riku, "What are you two going to do?"

"I suppose I'll go with you. I was thinking about getting a tattoo. Something small." Riku said. "It'll be fun."

Xigbar glanced at Riku, then said, "What the hell. I'll go too."

Saïx and Roxas declined, preferring to stay behind. Saïx claimed he had paperwork, and Ven was coming over to hang out with Roxas and Zexion. So the other three gathered their things and set out into the city. Axel remembered Demyx saying that his sister worked in a tattoo parlor in Alley to Between, so he decided to go there. It seemed like the best choice.

xXx

"You must be Axel!" The blonde girl, clearly Demyx's sister, smacked him on the shoulder almost hard enough to hurt when he entered the shop. "Demyx won't shut the hell up about all of you nightclub people, so I should know!" It may have sounded harsh, but Larxene was smiling as she spoke. She looked over the other two appraisingly and said, "Riku and… Xigbar? Am I right?"

Riku nodded, laughing. "Demyx must have told you a lot about his job!"

"It also helps that Marluxia is my best friend." Larxene pointed out. "We go way back. Our teenage dream was to create a gang strong enough to rival the powerful families. Obviously that didn't go so well." A shadow crossed her face. "Probably a good thing it didn't, or we'd have been targets when the Seekers went on their purge."

Riku cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation, and Larxene seemed to catch on. "Anyway, what can I do for you today? Thinking of getting inked?"

"Axel wants tattoos on his stupid face." Xigbar said, earning himself an elbow to the ribs. "Ri wants something too, but he never really said what."

"Well, both of you come here then." Larxene said. She went over to a desk with paper and different art supplies scattered all over it. "We'll draw some things out and see what you think. You do know that getting tattoos on your face hurts, right?" The last question was directed at Axel. "Not that I care, but I don't want you whining and crying while I'm trying to work."

Axel only scoffed, but followed Riku over to draw up sketches of what they were thinking.

Within fifteen minutes, a perfectly proportioned diamond had been drawn, and several rough sketches of vines had been drawn out. Riku had decided that he wanted vines, monochrome black and grey, winding up his left forearm, around his wrist, across the back of his hand, and around his ring and pinky fingers.

"You two really know how to pick the most painful places, don't you?" Larxene asked, giggling somewhat sadistically. "Do you want tattoos on your ribs while I'm at it? Or maybe you could tattoo your di-"

"NO." Axel stopped her before she could get any farther. The thought in his mind was _Roxas would kill me if… __**when**__ he ever found out._ He shook his head. "Just my face, if you please."

"Oh, all right." she sighed, the picture of disappointment. Turning to Riku she said, "You'll take longer, so you come back first, love." Giggling again, she grabbed him by the intended wrist and pulled him towards the back. She settled him in the chair, beginning to open up sterile bags of needles for the tattoo gun and new, clean vials of black ink. "We'll do the outline first, and then go back and do the shading."

Riku swallowed hard. Eyeing the needles, he was starting to think that this maybe wasn't such a good idea after all.

xXx

Axel and Xigbar listened to the initial yelp of pain from where they were sitting in the front of the shop, but were quickly disappointed when no more sounds other than the hum of the tattoo gun were forthcoming. An hour passed, and finally Riku emerged, his arm wrapped in gauze, reddened indents in his lower lip where he'd been biting it. Larxene followed, and explained easily, "Don't pick at the scab, don't soak the skin until the scab falls off, don't rub oil or anything on it…"

Riku nodded, rubbing thoughtfully at the gauze around his fingers. It hadn't been as bad as he'd thought. He gave Axel a thumbs-up with his unbandaged hand, and the redhead got up to follow Larxene to the back. Riku settled next to Xigbar, and the sniper glanced at him appraisingly.

"So, Riku…" he said easily, propping his head with his hand. "Tell me about Sora. I haven't really gotten to meet him yet."

The silveret blinked. "I don't know… what do you want to know about him?"

"Well, I get that he's Roxas's cousin. It's a good thing for Roxy to have some more family around, what with his stick-in-the-mud older brother. But where's the kid been all this time?" Xigbar waved a hand absently. "Roxas never talked about him or anything."

Riku shrugged. "Sora used to live here, from what he told me. His parents died in a car wreck ten years ago, and the city sent him to live with his grandfather on the Destiny Islands. He's come back now with his new guardian."

"Ten years, huh?" Xigbar's voice had taken on a contemplative tone. Car wrecks could be staged, if people needed to be taken out of the bigger picture… He glanced at Riku, who was staring at his shoes in some form of melancholy, and considered all of the possibilities. This was the best lead he'd had in years. But there was the issue of Riku… and Roxas.

Riku got up abruptly, saying quickly, "I'm going outside. To get some fresh air. I'll be back before Axel's done." He disappeared out the door before Xigbar could stop him, walking over to a nearby bench and sitting down heavily. What had he been thinking, getting a tattoo? His whole family, each of them had a tattoo somewhere. Sephiroth's was on his back, a single wing extending from his right shoulder-blade, drawn to look like it was folded in close to his body. Yazoo had a rose on the back of his right shoulder, complete with twining vines. He'd never seen Loz's, and he'd stopped associating with the gang by the time Kadaj got his.

He fingered the edges of his bandages, wondering if getting a tattoo signified, on some level, that he was starting to accept his family. The vines were similar to the ones around the rose on his twin's shoulder. Maybe...

Riku glanced up as a couple approached, the woman stopping to look at his bandages. She came over to where he was sitting, saying curiously, "So you've gotten a tattoo? Do you mind if I ask what it's of?"

"Vines..." Riku said warily. He was always wary of strangers in this city. Thankfully, in terms of his former affiliations with the Angels, everyone had all-but forgotten that Morningstar existed. Except for Cloud Strife, of course.

The woman seemed to sense his unease, smiling faintly. "Forgive me, I seem to have neglected my manners. I am Maleficent Drake. This is Ben Garoch. I got my own tattoo done at this parlor, a long time ago." She half-turned, showing him the black dragon across her shoulders.

"Wow!" Riku leaned closer to see. "Why is it breathing green fire?"

"Green is my favorite color, and it matches my eyes." Maleficent explained. She sat down on the bench next to him, and Ben remained standing, leaning against a streetlight. "It's also something extraordinary that can be achieved with ordinary means. Certain chemicals can cause fire to burn green."

Riku stared at her for a long moment, then his eyes widened. "You're...!" The Seeker of Power used green fire, if there was ever arson committed. It was one of the things the Seekers were known for. He made to scramble up, suddenly worried, but froze as he locked eyes with Ben Garoch. The man's eyes were _yellow_. Not gold, like Xigbar's or Saïx's, but a terrifying luminous yellow that threatened horrors beyond Riku's imagination if he dared to continue moving.

"Are you afraid, Riku Morningstar?" Maleficent asked. When Riku chose not to respond, she smiled wickedly. "You needn't be. We are not here to start a fight."

"Then what do you want?" Riku demanded, trying not to sound scared out of his mind. Garoch, Garoch, where did he know that name, Kadaj had said something...

_The Angel of Death... His counterpart, the Seeker of Death..._

Riku prayed for Axel's tattoos to be finished, for Xigbar to come searching for him, for something...

Maleficent shook her head subtly at Ben, who looked away. "We are offering a proposition." he said in a gravelly voice.

"You hate the gangs." Maleficent picked up the thought. "Anyone can see. That is why you no longer associate with the Angels. We want to change the way that things are."

"What do you mean?" Riku asked.

"We mean, we need your help. There is a child who survived the purge from ten years ago, a surviving member of one of the powerful families." Maleficent explained. "If we can find that child, it will be proof that Xehanort's power is not absolute. The Seekers will turn on him; there are those in our group who do not approve of what he's done. We can make peace with the Angels, and the Gamblers. The fighting will stop."

"So you want my help to find someone? That's it?" To Riku, it sounded too easy. There was something he wasn't seeing.

"All we can ask is that you keep a lookout." Maleficent said. "Do you agree?"

He hesitated. Part of him wanted to say yes, hoping and praying that the fighting would end, and his family could just be normal for once in his life. But another part warred with that hope, insisting that it was a trick, that it couldn't possibly be true. "I... I need time to think."

"Take whatever time you need." Maleficent said graciously. Riku got up, nodding to both of them but avoiding eye contact with Ben, and hurried back inside the tattoo parlor. Maleficent glanced at Ben, who smirked, and both walked away to melt back into the city.

Xigbar blinked at the look on Riku's face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." Riku murmured, trying to stop his hands from shaking. "Nothing at all..." It was too much to hope for. But as long as the hope was there, maybe...

xXx

Terra looked up at the building at address he had been given, somewhat confused. This place looked abandoned, long abandoned, with boards over the windows and peeling paint. But despite his misgivings, he took the three steps up to the door and went inside.

Inside was just as derelict as outside. All the furniture was covered in dustcloths, and the paint and wallpaper were faded beyond recognition. He walked farther in, through the foyer and into what looked like a living room, and there he found who he was looking for.

"Well, he was brave enough to come in. That's something in his favor!" Vanitas said, elbowing the red-cloaked figure of the Seeker of Redemption. "Maybe he'll make a good Seeker after all!"

"Perhaps." the Seeker of Redemption fixed crimson eyes on Terra, and gestured to a chair. "Sit, please." Only when Terra had obeyed the command did he go on. "We have spoken to the Seeker of Darkness, Xehanort." he said quietly. "You are to be allowed to join us on a probationary basis, until we can better judge your trustworthiness. For now, you will run any mission that our leader asks with another member, so that you can learn how things work."

"He's volunteered to be your mentor." Vanitas grumbled. He looked bored. "Can I go? Seriously. I was only here to make sure that he actually showed up."

The Seeker of Redemption nodded once, and Vanitas practically catapaulted to his feet. "Excellent! There's a lot that's more interesting than being here! I'll tell Xehanort that you've got it under control." He scurried from the room, laughing to himself, and both Terra and the crimson-eyed Seeker watched him go.

Before Terra could ask any further questions, the Seeker of Redemption turned around and said calmly, "Terra Nihil."

Terra blinked. "What are you talking about?" he asked, forcing his voice calm, even as his mind was racing. What did he do now? Did they know? He was so dead...

"Terra Nihil." the other repeated. "Twenty-five years old, younger brother of Xemnas Nihil, the owner of Second Circle... Do you deny it?"

The brunet opened his mouth to object, and realized that if they knew that much, they could tell if he lied. "My brother had nothing to do with this. He doesn't know I'm joining the Seekers. I don't want him involved."

The older man smiled faintly, a fleeting hint of amusement crossing his features before the serious expression returned. "I am Vincent Valentine. I work for the Turks."

"The Turks?" The Turks were the government's special operations force. Terra stared at him in puzzlement for a moment, before asking the obvious question. "Then why are you with the Seekers?"

"I assume we are here for the same reason." Vincent replied. "Insight into what they are planning. The opportunity to close a case. They are looking for the child they missed in the purge. We daren't act until we know where he is, because if he truly is alive, he could give us valuable evidence to put every Seeker behind bars."

"And you want my help?" Terra asked. When Vincent nodded, he shrugged, "I'm already playing double-agent for Xemnas. We'll protect each other?"

"Why do you think I volunteered to mentor you?"

Terra hesitated, then offered his hand. "All right. Let's do this."

Vincent smiled. "Well met, Terra. I'm glad you agree. ...Let's do this."

xXx

Back at Second Circle, Axel, Riku, and Xigbar had just returned from Alley to Between, two of three sporting fresh bandages. Saïx and Roxas were waiting on one of the couches near the front, finishing up the crossword puzzle from that morning.

"So…?" Roxas asked.

"Riku whimpered like a girl." Axel said with a grin, and Riku punched him in the shoulder.

"Only the first time!" he objected. "Only because I didn't know what it would feel like!"

Roxas shrugged, his attention focused on his redheaded boyfriend. "Shame that you can't show me right now. I'll have to wait to claim my prize."

Axel snorted. "I'll live." He reached up, carefully peeling back the medical tape holding the gauze pads to his face and revealing the tattoos. The little diamonds had scabbed over, still healing, but the design was still obvious. Roxas stared at him for a long moment, just studying him, and finally sighed.

"…All right, Axel. You win. You look awesome."

"Ha!" Axel snatched the younger boy out of his chair, spinning him around. "I knew it! So I get to make out with you in front of your brother?" He set Roxas down, carefully putting his gauze back on.

"I guess…"

"Awesome!" Triumphantly, he turned to Saïx. "What about you, Saï? What do you think?"

Saïx frowned. "You… don't look as bad as I initially thought. I suppose you win your bet." He fished his wallet out of his coat pocket and retrieved one-hundred dollars, passing them to his smirking best friend. "I will not be betting with you again for a long time."

"Works for me. You have to help with the exhibition script now too, remember." Axel said cheerfully. He looked around. "Where's Dem and Zex?"

"Demyx went out with a friend of his, and Zexion's in the music booth, going through CDs. We're not sure why." Roxas said. "Vexen and Marluxia went home, and I think Lexaeus and Xaldin have left too. Xemnas is in his office."

Axel sighed. "In other words, boring! Let's play a game or something. Think Xemnas will mind if we play hide and seek?"

"You're such a child." Saïx grumbled, but he didn't disagree. "The skywalks are out-of-bounds."

"Definitely." Roxas seconded, frowning.

"All right then!" Axel chimed. "Let's play!"

xXx

Across the city in a small coffee shop, Demyx was fretting.

"I want to do something for karaoke night, something special. Something…"

His best friend, a girl with vibrant red hair named Ariel, laughed. "Something to profess your love to someone?" They had been friends since childhood, ever since they'd been in music classes together. When Demyx only gaped at her in disbelief, she giggled. "The look in your eyes is obvious, Demy. I know it, because it's the same way I was when I met Eric."

"Yeah, well. All you had to do was get him to see that you were better than that bitchy Vanessa girl." Demyx grumbled. "I've got a crush who hates people."

"So… Sing something hopeful." Ariel suggested.

"I don't think it works like that, Ari." Demyx countered. "I don't think there's a song out there to fix this. His past, the things that have happened to him… I don't know if I can counter that."

"He needs to learn not to mourn what's already happened, then?" Ariel asked.

The musician sighed. "It's not that, it's…" But then he froze, because in his mind's eye he could see the dancer, sitting on the edge of the stage, cradling the microphone in one hand, singing. "_Don't mourn what is gone, greet the dawn…_" he murmured, the lyric coming easily.

"What?"

"That's perfect!" Demyx smiled widely, causing Ariel to raise an eyebrow curiously. "He knows that song, he was singing it, the one time I heard him sing of his own free will… And the words are perfect!" He pulled Ariel out of the booth and spun her around, laughing. "This has to work!"

Ariel laughed as well, caught up in her friend's good mood. "I wish you nothing but luck, Demy! No one can resist your music!" Ignoring the people staring, they sat back down to finish their coffee, their moods much better than before.

xXx

In the music booth, Zexion had finally found what he was looking for.

"This… will be perfect."

xXx

That evening, Axel took his normal route of walking Roxas home, the only difference being that it was just before dinnertime. Roxas was determined to have dinner with his family, something that he didn't normally do often. And, always worried about something happening to the boy, even in daylight, Axel trailed along as usual.

"So you really don't mind?" he asked curiously. "About your brother, I mean. Because you know I wouldn't go through with it if it's going to freak you out."

Roxas sighed. "Axel, for like the fourth time, it's okay. Really. Cloud already knows that I'm dating you, so he can't be but so surprised. Quit being such a worrywart."

"All right then..."

When they reached Roxas's house, Axel followed him up the stairs to see his family. If Cloud was displeased about seeing the older boy, he didn't show it. Everyone was civil to each other, until Axel finally prepared to leave.

"Bye, Roxas. See you at work on Monday." Before the blond could reply, he leaned down and kissed him.

Roxas stiffened involuntarily, but didn't resist. He kissed Axel in return until his boyfriend pulled away, grinning wickedly. "G'night, Rox."

And then Axel was gone, down the stairs like he'd never been there in the first place, leaving an extremely pink Roxas, a somewhat-shellshocked Cloud, and a grinning Ven. The younger twin whistled, saying only, "Damn, Roxas!"

Cloud took a deep breath, swallowed his shock, and said, "It's good that he cares so much about you. I'm glad you have him, Roxas."

"Thanks, Cloud." Happy that his brother was finally accepting his job and his love life, Roxas turned to the kitchen. "So, what can I help with?"

* * *

I graduate high school a week from today. Holy shit... O.o

Anyway, me freaking out aside, I hope you guys liked this chapter. Next chapter is karaoke night! Yay!

The question this time around is difficult (at least I think so), and as such, the reward for a correct answer is great. How well do you know your classic Disney? If three people can get the answer right, I'll put up a bonus chapter about the infamous "Skywalk Incident". I think you'll find it most entertaining. XD Your question and your hint are below. Have fun!

Li

Reader Quest: Ben Garoch is a Disney villain in human form, just like Maleficent is. He follows the same pattern as Organization XIII's names, without the X. Who is he?  
Song List: Under the Sea (instrumental version from Chain of Memories), chest-opening-item-getting jingle from the Legend of Zelda (you know the one XD)


	13. High Flying

**Bonus Chapter: High-Flying**

One year and a few months before our current story...

It was an ordinary day, except for one thing: the lights needed replacing. Second Circle was lit by a huge amount of lights in the ceiling, not to mention the colored lights, flashing bulbs, star-effect lights, spotlights, strobe lights, and emergency-exit marker lights. Once every six months, on one of the Sundays they were closed, Xemnas ordered all the lights in the club replaced at once. It was a long and tedious job, but it ensured that everything was uniform and that lights weren't burning out at random at all times of the year.

The network of skywalks that hung over the club was used to reach all the different clusters of lights in the ceiling, as well as the ones that hung over the stage. Axel, Riku, Marluxia, and Zexion were running the walks, while Lexaeus, Xaldin, Vexen, and Xion were carting boxes of lightbulbs around on the floor, organizing different kinds into boxes to be pulled up to the skywalks on ropes and pulleys. Saïx was working on paperwork, and Xemnas had gone out somewhere.

Zexion was working in silence at one end of the room, and Marluxia was working the pulleys. Axel leaned over and elbowed Riku, pointing to a cluster of lights on the other side of the room. "I don't think we've done those yet."

"No, but let's finish these first." Riku grabbed another basket of lightbulbs, hopping across the the next skywalk and leaning out to begin unscrewing old bulbs. "If we finish fast enough, we'll have time to go out for ice-cream."

Down below, a waif-like girl had settled in the corner with the couches, looking between them and the sketchbook she held. Riku figured that there would be a new picture of them up in the walks by the time they came down.

"Ice cream!" Axel chimed, leaning over to help Riku. They finished that group quickly, and moved on to the spotlights hanging above the stage. After getting another basket of the correct bulbs from Marluxia, Riku continued working, but Axel looked up as the door opened. Their boss, Xemnas, had returned from wherever he'd been, and a younger boy walked at his side, chatting animatedly. Axel froze dead on the skywalk, staring at the blond teen. "Who is that?"

Riku glanced up briefly. "Oh, that's Roxas Strife. Saïx mentioned him the other day. He wants to come work as a dancer here. I think that's where Xemnas was, meeting with him to discuss his hours he can work, since he's still in school. Zex and I get off easy, since we're in our last year and we can leave early. But he's only sixteen."

"Sixteen..." Axel murmured, as Riku hopped to the next walk. The silveret looked back at the twenty-one-year-old redhead once, before sighing and beginning on the next spotlight. Axel had zoned out completely, staring at the boy who, to his eyes, looked like some kind of blue-eyed angel.

"Axel, you have to help me." Riku complained loudly. "I'm not doing the rest of these by myself." By this point, Marluxia and Zexion's attention had been captured, and they were staring at the redhead as well.

"Looks like Axel's fallen hard." Marluxia commented slyly.

"He's going to, rather literally, in a moment, if he doesn't watch what he's doing." Zexion replied dryly.

Axel was oblivious to all of them. Xemnas was introducing Roxas briefly to Lexaeus, Xaldin, Vexen, and Xion, before leading him up to show him the stage. The blond boy grinned, hurrying to the middle of stage to look out over the room eagerly. "This is great!" they heard him say.

He was right beneath Axel's skywalk, and the pyro leaned farther, trying to see better. Marluxia saw what was coming first. "AXEL!"

Zexion said nothing, instead wordlessly sprinting across the walks, though he knew he couldn't get there in time. Riku dove from his own, to grab Axel's feet, but missed by a hair. Axel flipped over the railing, falling twenty feet to the stage and landing squarely on top of Roxas, squashing the teen to the floor.

Zexion changed course, heading instead for the ladder, bracing his feet and sliding down hurriedly. He disappeared into the other room, coming out on ground level and hurrying to the pile, where Xemnas was just staring in confusion. Roxas was cursing with a surprising vocabulary for a sixteen-year-old, shoving at Axel, who was lying on top of him like deadweight.

Zexion grabbed Axel's arm, hauling him to one side to lay flat on his back on the stage. "You idiot..." he murmured, kneeling beside him, reaching out to touch the bump forming on Axel's head. The older man flinched from his touch, and Zexion shook his head. "You likely have a concussion." Glancing at his arm, where his hand stuck out at a funny angle, he added, "And a broken wrist. You are lucky that the damage isn't worse." Turning to Roxas, he asked, "Are you all right?"

Roxas sat up, rubbing the back of his head. "If this jerk hadn't fallen on me I'd be just fine!" he raged. "What the hell were you doing to fall out of the ceiling?"

Axel blinked hazily. "...You're pretty."

"WHAT did you say?" Roxas demanded, looking murderous. Riku and Marluxia, by that time, had come down as well, and Riku stepped between them.

"Defensive much, kid? He's got a concussion." Turning to Axel, he said sternly, "You're going to the hospital."

"...Is he an angel?" Axel asked Marluxia, gesturing vaguely in Roxas's direction. Before the teen could snap Marluxia responded, "You're not dying. Be quiet and come along to the car." He and Vexen got Axel to his feet and walked him out. Zexion glanced at Roxas, before disappearing into the back, and Riku smiled wryly.

"Sorry about that. You're Roxas, right? I'm Riku; nice to meet you."

xXx

Axel was in the hospital overnight, since they wanted to make sure his concussion wasn't serious. He was released the next day, a bright red cast on his arm, and promptly returned to apologize to Roxas. After that, he made it his mission in life to make it up to the blond boy. Somewhere along the way, Roxas's anger and frustration faded, and a year later they ended up together. No one was really sure how. Roxas was a spitfire, for sure, but that was perfect for a pyro like Axel. The Skywalk Incident, as it was called from then on, became a subject of great embarassment for Axel, and he kept everyone from even bringing it up as best he could.

When the Rules for Personal Safety were established, Roxas was the one who made the addendum that Axel was never allowed in the skywalks again.

* * *

I think I underestimated you guys! Six people got 12's question right! But, to be fair, I think I aimed low because I really wanted to put the chapter up.

Poor Roxas... His first time in his potential workplace and he gets squashed. XD With this, I have reached the end of what I have prewritten, so updates might be a little slower. Chapter 13, at this moment, isn't done, but I'm off to work on it right now. In the meantime, enjoy this stalling tactic... I mean, bonus chapter. XD

Li


	14. Singing the Night Fantastic

**Singing the Night Fantastic**

It had finally arrived.

Karaoke night was well-loved amongst Second Circle's visitors, as a chance for non-employees to take the stage and show off their own talents. They could pick a song from the vast library, or pick random and let one of the employees shuffle the tracks.

The beginning of night shift found Zexion sitting in his room. He hated karaoke night. He hated singing in front of others. He usually took the night off. But tonight was different. He was embracing his new philosophy of facing his fears, and tonight was a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. He couldn't keep hiding.

He peeled off the blue slipper-socks he'd been wearing, getting up and making his way to the door. He paused right by the door, looking back over his room. The faux-suede reading chair in the corner, beneath the tall floor lamp that stood next to his bookshelves. His bed, next to the window. The wardrobe, dresser, and chest full of winter clothing. All of it represented safety, the haven he'd had for ten years. But now...

Forcing himself to look away, he closed the door behind him and walked downstairs.

xXx

More people than usual turned up on karaoke nights. The main room was packed, as was the bar. Although, most of the people in Oblivion were looking for liquid courage to help them work up the nerve to go onstage.

Axel wove through the crowd, laughing as he snuck up behind Roxas and caught the boy around the middle. "Isn't this great, Roxas? So many people!"

"Yeah!" Roxas agreed. "Know which song you're doing?"

"Of course. You?"

"Most certainly!"

Axel smiled. "And the extra part...?"

"Saïx knows what we're planning. He knows I've got the CD we set up." Roxas looked around the room. "Shame Zexion hates karaoke night. I really think he'd have fun if he'd just try it." His eyes widened as he spotted the familiar silver head emerging from the back room. "Holy shit... Axel, look!"

It was Zexion. But it was a Zexion who was in the room, on karaoke night, dressed for work. Not only dressed for work, but wearing a pair of skinny black pants and the shiny ice-blue shirt that Axel had bought him as a joke once from one of the dance costume catalogs. Axel and Roxas, as well as many of the female guests, simply gaped at him as he made his way across the room to disappear into Oblivion.

"Roxas..." Axel asked quietly. "Was that a mirage?"

"I don't think so, because I saw it too." Roxas replied, equally quietly.

"Dem is going to flip when he sees him."

"Yeah, I know." Roxas turned to shove Axel lightly in the shoulder. "Go on, you have to go set the music track. You're up first."

Axel nodded, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek before disappearing into the crowd in the direction of the stage. Roxas glanced back at the door to the bar, wondering what Zexion was up to. He wouldn't be down here without a plan. He wasn't the club's schemer for nothing.

xXx

People were still sort of just milling around, waiting for the festivities to start, when music filled the room. Keyboard and electric guitar pumped from the speakers as everyone turned to see the redheaded dancer leap onstage, snatching the microphone out of its stand and beginning to sing.

"_Hell is gone and heaven's here, there's nothing left for you to fear... Shake your ass, come over here... Now scream!_" The audience did scream then, cheering loudly as they crowded around the stage to watch Axel do what he did best: show off. _"I'm a burning effigy of everything I used to be... You're my rock of empathy, my dear... So come on, let me entertain you!_"

Watching from near the back, Roxas was certain that everyone in that crowd, especially the girls, would be all too willing to let Axel entertain them for hours at a time. But he locked his blue eyes with Axel's malachite ones and knew that the pyro's eyes were only for him. And he smiled.

"_Look me up in the yellow pages, I will be your rock of ages..._" At least Axel was having fun. "_Let me entertain you! Let me entertain you!_"

When the song ended in a flurry of guitars, Axel laughed, calling out over the crowd, "Welcome to Second Circle. Tonight, if you didn't already know, is **karaoke night**! So grab your friends and let's see who in the place has a _voice_!" As people called back to him, waving and raising hands and jumping up and down, he continued, "The rules are simple: When you're done, call the next person from the crowd! Alright..." He looked around, then pointed. "You there! Come on up!" After he'd passed the microphone off, he hopped down from the stage, winking at Roxas before heading off to mingle.

A few others took their turns, various songs and artists being played. Riku took his own turn, choosing random. When the song came up, he was less than pleased.

"Aqua. Really? Can't I shuffle it again?"

Saïx grinned wickedly. "No, Riku. The rules are the rules."

Riku groaned, but went out onstage to take up the microphone as the opening strains of "Cartoon Heroes" poured from the sound system. He sighed, but a game was a game, and rules were rules. "_We are what we're supposed to be, illusions of your fantasy..._" Hearing the cheery bubble-gum-style song in Riku's lower vocal range was weird, but it worked. "_We are the cartoon heroes, whoa-oh, we are the one's who're gonna last forever..._"

When the song was over, Riku climbed down after choosing the next person, and spotted a familiar face in the crowd. He wandered over to the boy's side, and said loudly, "Hi, Dennis!"

Dennis yelped, turning to look at Riku with wide eyes. "Don't do that! ...I mean, uh, hello, sir."

Riku rolled his eyes. "No one explained about me when you joined the Angels, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I don't work for the Angels anymore." Riku said, falling into rhythm with the song that was on. "So you can just call me Riku." Letting himself move along with the music, he asked as a thought struck him, "How did you even get in? The age limit is nineteen."

"I am nineteen!" the pale boy protested. "Just because I look young for my age..."

"You're older than me?" Riku said incredulously, but he took the offered card when Dennis fished his ID from his pocket. Sure enough, his birthday showed that he was a year older than Riku. "Wow. I was all set to believe that Gabriel had some company in the realm of being the youngest."

"Dennis, you promised you'd go up and sing!" Two dark-haired girls hurried to Dennis's side, and he made a surprised noise.

"Oh, right. Riku, this is Jenn and Kelly. They're my best friends." He turned to the two of them then, groaning, "I wasn't being serious, you know!"

"Oh, get up there, you coward!" Kelly complained, nudging him in the shoulder. Jenn gave him a look as if to say, 'You promised!', and he finally relented. Riku and the girls watched him make his way to the stage, and once there he picked random.

As it turned out, everything went fine. The song that came up was "My Sitar", and Jenn leaped up onstage to sing with him. Demyx, as well, fought his way through the crowd to get up there, and the three of them belted out the ridiculously silly song. Riku didn't remember it actually being in the music that they had, so he figured Demyx had slipped it in there when no one was looking. Whatever. It was all good.

xXx

A few people later, Demyx had gotten up onstage by himself, and had picked his own track. He looked out over the crowd, eyes scanning each face, as if looking for someone. "This song's called "Dawn"."

As a hollow-sounding drumbeat filled the club, Demyx waited for the cue, and began to sing as the piano started. _"When darkness is no less than everything you've built become undone... There's no fight and no flight... Disaster leaves your passion overrun..._" He shut his eyes, feeling the music thrum through him, and hoped that the person he was singing for could hear him, even if he was upstairs in his room. "_It's time to let go... It's time to carry on with the show... Don't mourn what is gone, greet the dawn..._"

Vexen was standing in the doorway of the bar, next to Lexaeus. Marluxia had taken over the counter for a little while, and he was watching the musician pour his heart and soul into this song. As he glanced around the room, he saw Zexion hovering on the edge of the crowd, a thunderstruck expression on his face. The teenager brushed his long bangs out of his right eye, both blue eyes wide as he stared at the stage. Vexen saw him swallow hard as Demyx continued to sing.

"_And I will be standing by your side... Together we'll face the turning tide..._"

Zexion turned and ducked into the back room, looking stunned. Vexen cracked a small smile, and looked up at Lexaeus. The bouncer had been watching the dancer as well, and was also smiling. It was the closest Lexaeus had ever gotten to a grin.

"Zexion is cracking." Vexen murmured, and Lexaeus nodded thoughtfully.

"And what better person to finally break his shell? Perhaps the answers that we have sought so desperately will finally come to light, if his walls are coming down." the younger of the two said. "He is like my brother, and if we can finally get close enough to help him..."

Vexen watched Demyx finish his song, still searching the room, and said, "It will do him good." Both were happy that Zexion had found someone who cared so deeply for him. In the long run, this could only be for the good.

Vexen eventually went to retrieve Marluxia, and the two of them did a duet of another Aqua song, "Roses are Red." Vexen wasn't particularly thrilled, but he owed Marluxia a favor, and the pinkette had wanted to do the song. He didn't really have to sing, thankfully; his part of the duet was the spoken lyrics. It was really sort of fun. And possibly less embarassing than the alternative, which had been Marluxia forcing him to go onstage by himself and sing "Kiss from a Rose." Damn the younger man and his flowery tendencies! It was really no surprise he was gay.

Two girls got into a fight on the stairs to the stage, one of them having been the one picked to go up next, the other being dragged along.

"No fair, Aki, you're stronger than me!" The brunette girl tried to smack her black-haired friend away.

Aki rolled her eyes. "Auraeli, just get up here and sing the damn karaoke with me! Acccepher would be ashamed to know he's being raised by such a coward!"

"Ceph is at home! He won't know either way!" Auraeli flailed for something to grab onto, and caught the stair rail. "No! I don't sing karaoke!"

"Break it up, break it up!" Axel wandered over, catching both of them by the wrist and detaching Aki from Auraeli. "What's the problem?"

"Li's a coward!"

"Hey, only Sariel called me that!"

"Loser!"

"Pushy!"

"Whoa!" Axel waved his hands between them. He glanced at Auraeli. "Come on, girl. You'll regret it if you don't get up there. And we don't want you to leave with regrets!"

Auraeli stared at him, confronted by the idea of a hot guy encouraging her to sing. If only it wasn't common knowledge he was dating the blond dancer... All the cute ones were gay. "All right..."

Aki punched the air triumphantly and dragged her onstage. She disappeared into the booth to tell Saïx the song, and hurried back out. The background chorus started, and Auraeli groaned. "At least you picked a song I like..."

Aki grinned. "Of course. _Ra ra ah-ah-ah, roma ro-ma-ma, ga-ga ooh-la-la, want your bad romance!_"

Aurali rolled her eyes, but joined in the ridiculous lyric. She ended up getting into the song, dancing just as much as Aki. "_I want your love and I want your revenge, you and me could write a bad romance...!_"

"_Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh, caught in a bad romance... Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh oh oh, oh, oh, oh, caught in a bad romance..._"

Soon the whole room was joining in on the "ra ra" lyric, and by the time they came offstage, Auraeli couldn't stop grinning. "That was so much fun! I'll never argue with you again!"

"Sure..." Aki rolled her eyes, but agreed.

xXx

Axel had taken the mike, and passed it off to Roxas. "Your turn, Roxy. Knock 'em dead."

Roxas took a deep breath, heading up onstage and into the music booth. He retrieved the CD he'd prepared from one of the upper shelves and handed it to Saïx. Seeing the blunet smirking at him, he frowned. "Don't laugh at me."

"You and Axel are the strangest pair." Saïx said, putting the CD in the player. "Really. Especially after he nearly smashed you flat."

"You're one to talk. What about that time he set your hair on fire during one of the weapon exhibitions? You're still best friends." Roxas countered. "Besides, I don't see you out here singing." He turned and stalked back out onto the stage, and Saïx pushed play.

It started with a simple guitar riff. Roxas tapped his foot to the beat for a moment, and the opened his mouth and started singing.

"_I don't want another pretty face, I don't want just anyone to hold... I don't want my love to go to waste... I want you and your beautiful soul..._"

Everyone said that Roxas had that generic boy-band singer sort of voice, but most of the girls in the club couldn't care less. Demyx thought that he sounded good; better than the musician did. That was why he usually spent his time playing music instead of singing. Demyx glanced around the room, still looking for a certain silveret, just in case he'd decided to show. Instead he spotted Axel, who was watching Roxas with a smile on his face beside the stage stairs.

"_...then I hope you'll see the heart in me... You're the one I wanna chase, you're the one I wanna hold... I won't let another minute go to waste... I want you and your beautiful soul..._" Roxas was having fun, egging on the crowd. As the song wound to a close, the music changed abruptly, and Roxas turned to look directly at Axel. "_Don't go wasting your emotion... Lay all your love on me!_"

Axel hopped up onstage, grabbing a second mike, and from his spot lurking in a corner out of Demyx's view, Zexion put a hand to his forehead. A duet of "Lay All Your Love on Me" was just the sort of cliched thing that Axel and Roxas would come up with. Sure enough, the fangirls in the audience were in raptures of joy. He sighed, turning away to slip off to the other side of the room, closer to the stage. Xion was going up to sing a song called "Passion", and he wanted to see.

xXx

After Xion, and a few others, Riku had ended up with the mike again because someone had forgotten to call the next person. He grinned out at the crowd, asking teasingly, "What, are the rest of you cowards? Is that all the talent that this group has to offer?" Hands were waved, things were shouted, and Riku's attention was captured by a single ice-blue-sleeved hand that shot from the crowd, not waving or jumping up and down, but just there. He followed the arm down to the human being it was connected to, and froze in surprise. All he could manage was to weakly lift a hand and point.

The hand went down, and the crowd murmured in surprise as Zexion walked lightly across the stage to pluck the microphone from Riku's astonished, lax grip. He ignored Axel and Roxas gaping at him from somewhere in the middle of the crowd, Vexen and Lexaeus watching him carefully from the doorway to Oblivion. Most of all, he ignored the stunned eyes of the musician who looked as though he'd been hit in the face. He went to Saïx, handing him the CD he'd picked out, and walked back onstage. Techno undertones filled the club, and Zexion pushed his hair behind his ear, looking right at Demyx with both bright blue eyes.

"_You took a piece of my heart. I never though that this could fall apart... You said you fell in love, and this was more than I had ever been afraid of..._" He was singing to Demyx and no one else, his gaze never wavering, and Demyx was staring back as if he was seeing the dancer for the first time. "_Another life... Another happy ending cuts like a knife... Another place, another time, another hand to touch, another sun to shine...!_" Zexion finally looked away, turning to face the back of the stage, his expression only waving from it's calm mask once the audience could no longer see. "_You've got me deeper than deep, and I'm constantly blinded... I'm running around but there's no place to hide. I start to talk in my sleep; our souls are divided... Why can't they forgive me, these demons inside?_" He turned back around, back to Demyx, not bothering to fix his mask. "_Deeper than deep, and I'm constantly blinded... My heart starts to shiver, for it was not enough... I start to talk in my sleep 'cause our souls are divided... How can it be that you're ready for love?_"

Demyx started elbowing people out of the way, trying to reach the stage, and Zexion started the second verse.

"_Time will tell; a single day could help me break this spell. Don't want to be alone... When will I be understood, when is my kingdom to come? Another boy, another life... Another happy ending, and I'll be alive!_" Without really meaning to, he was walking towards the edge of the stage. "_You've got me deeper than deep and I'm constantly blinded..._" There were people cheering, but he couldn't hear them. Just the ringing in his ears. The crowd might as well have not been there. He could only see the one person who had managed to get too close to turn away. "I_ start to talk in my sleep; our souls are divided..._" He'd reached the edge, looking down into Demyx's blue eyes, which were filled with so much joy, he could barely believe it. Facing his fears... It had been entirely worth it. "_H_ow can it be that **I'm** ready for love?" He threw the microphone to whoever was willing to catch it, sitting down to slide off the edge of the stage and throw his arms around Demyx's neck. Demyx froze for only a second before hugging him tightly in return, and Zexion laughed. Tonight was... a new beginning.

xXx

When Kadaj came home at eleven-thirty, he found his oldest brother sitting in the living room, waiting for him. Normally Sephiroth didn't care where he went or how late he was out, but with the way the underground was shifting lately, he'd been warier about where the youngest was.

"Where have you been?" he questioned sharply.

Kadaj flopped into a chair, sighing dramatically. "They wouldn't let me into nii-san's nightclub for karaoke night, so I went for some food. Is that okay, Aniki?"

Sephiroth frowned. "You are sixteen years old, Kadaj, and things are shifting again. A teenager is an easy target, no matter how skilled."

"Souba and I can handle whatever the Seekers might throw at us." Kadaj laughed, indicating his duel-bladed katana. He got up, shrugging nonchalantly, and said, "I'm going to bed." But halfway to the door he paused, and said over his shoulder, "I ran into that merc tonight. The one with the eyepatch. He's hunting someone."

"Who?" Sephiroth questioned, suddenly interested.

"Funny thing. He's not really sure." Kadaj said flippantly. "Not sure how that works, but I managed to get a name. I think he let it slip by accident. Some kid called Sora?"

"Loz mentioned a Sora as one of Riku's friends." Sephiroth mused. "That's... interesting. We may have to ask Riku what he knows of this 'Sora'." To the youngest Angel, he commanded, "Go to bed. I have work for you tomorrow."

"Yessir!" Kadaj saluted mockingly before disappearing upstairs, and Sephiroth smirked. This was very interesting indeed.

xXx

Demyx and Zexion had retreated to the back room, away from an over-enthusiastic crowd. Outside the door, someone was belting out that classic karaoke anthem, "Don't Stop Believing", but neither was listening.

"You sang that song..." Zexion began, but trailed off.

Demyx sat down on one of the couches, smiling as Zexion settled next to him. He wrapped an arm around the silveret, shrugging. "It said what I needed it to. What makes it so special?"

"It was my mother's favorite song. She used to play it all the time, when I was little. My father got sick of hearing it." He leaned his head back on Demyx's shoulder, staring sightlessly across the room.

Demyx's gaze was soft. "That's amazing... And you singing! I never expected that!"

His only response was a laugh. It made him happy to know that Zexion seemed so much happier than he had the other morning. When he could finally speak, the dancer said, "You were right. The other day. About everything. I was afraid of losing the people I was close to. But I can't be afraid anymore. Life's too short. I owe it to Xion, and my family here, and to you... to at least try."

Demyx was silent, but the arm around Zexion's shoulders tightened. Zexion sat up somewhat, turning to look at the blond. His eyes widened, he wasn't sure when the musician had leaned so close, and then they slid shut as Demyx pressed their lips together.

It was too easy to just stay there, leaning into Demyx's warmth. The kiss was short, and Demyx pulled away with a small laugh, flopping back against the couch and pulling Zexion with him. The dancer's arms wound around his waist, and he draped an arm over him, his other hand threading through silver hair. Zexion rested his head on the musician's chest, and it was a moment before he spoke.

"Demyx?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you dare go anywhere."

Demyx laughed. "What if the others find us?"

Zexion 'hmphed' into his shirt. "I don't care. I live here."

Another laugh in that musical voice. "Zexion?" He waited until Zexion hummed questioningly, and said quietly, "I do love you, you know."

He felt Zexion smile, hugging him tighter as the younger boy murmured, "I didn't want to believe it before, but now I'm sure... I love you too..."

xXx

They were left in peace for maybe an hour, after which Xion hurried into the back room, chiming excitedly, "Zexion, some guy out there is singing Madonna! You have to see this!" She stopped abruptly, taking in the sight of both musician and dancer half-asleep on the couch, and smiled.

"Xi..." Zexion tried sleepily, but she only giggled.

"It's about time! Wait till I tell Naminé!" She was gone in an instant, and Zexion groaned.

"Somehow, from that one statement, I get the feeling that everyone was already expecting this..." he mumbled.

Demyx nodded. "Not like I was trying to keep it a secret or anything."

"Oh well..." Resolutely, the silveret shut his eyes again. He still didn't really like karaoke, so the longer he got to stay here, the better. But perhaps his opinion of it might improve, just a little.

After all, it had gotten him Demyx.

* * *

And here it is, KARAOKE NIGHT! Hahaha! XD So, was it what you were expecting? Song choices strange? Reactions? Stuff? More stuff? XD

Anyway... chapter 14 is in progress, but it's nowhere near done. I had fun with this chapter. It's a good place for cameos, if you notice myself and Aki's KH incarnations up there. Well, technically Aki's is her Nobody, but that didn't work for this story. I'm trying to get the role-play we did typed up, so that myself and Kaxi have our place amongst my written works. ^_^ 146 sheets of notebook paper. We've been at this for four years, seriously. And it's only been like three weeks in-game. XD

It's my first chapter as a high school graduate! Oh my god, I've been at this since I started high school... O.o

Li

Reader Quest: Who wants to tell me about Dennis? He's from something Kingdom Hearts-related! You should have enough hints by now... Usually seen around Riku... Kind of pale... Not to mention the company he keeps... XD

Song List: Oh, damn, there's a lot... "Let Me Entertain You" by Robbie Williams, "Cartoon Heroes" by Aqua, "My Sitar" by Dr. Bombay, "Dawn" by Poets of the Fall (again), "Roses are Red" by Aqua (best 411 song ever), "Kiss from a Rose" by Seal, "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga (the version from Glee!), "Beautiful Soul" by Jesse McCartney (It sounds just like Roxas, I swear to god!), "Lay All Your Love on Me" from Mamma Mia, "Passion" from Kingdom Hearts (because I like the Japanese version), "Ready for Love" by Cascada (I have a version I pitch-altered to sound like a boy singing), "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey, and "Secret Valentine" by We the Kings. Oh, and pick your favorite Madonna song. I like "4 Minutes". XD


	15. Playing Assassins

**Playing Assassins**

If there was one thing that Xigbar had learned in ten years, it was that when following a target, you had to learn about every detail. He'd been on assignment for the Gamblers once, taking out someone who had been stealing money. Millions of dollars, as it turned out, and while the Gamblers weren't really known for offing people, this guy had been a special case. He'd followed the man for a week, learning every detail of his routine, from the moment he woke up in the morning, to what time he'd gotten his coffee, to when he walked his dog at night, until the moment he could fulfill what the Gamblers had asked that he do. Which happened to be only drugging the guy and dumping him outside the city limits without a cent to his name. Meanwhile, the Gamblers had cleaned out his bank accounts and funds, his house, his car, and everything else he owned. He had to start his life completely over. Yeah, the Gamblers were mostly good people; they'd rob you blind if you weren't paying attention, and they didn't like to be cheated, but they also paid well.

But nothing had ever paid so well as this extra job he was on for the Seekers. Yeah, it was wrong. Yeah, it wasn't fair. This kid, whoever they were, probably had no idea what their heritage meant. But a job was a job, and Xigbar always finished his commissions.

That was why he was sitting on the roof of an apartment building overlooking Nothing's Call, the square in front of the government buildings. He was watching a certain Sora Leonhart through binoculars, trying to learn his habits and quirks. Another thing he'd learned in ten years: This was the boring part. He'd followed Sora all morning, all of yesterday, and all of the day before, and the teen had done nothing interesting. Today, his spiky brunet head had gone to the grocery store for milk, the drugstore for aspirin, returned home to drop off both, and then had gone wandering around exploring the city. Xigbar was hoping that when one o'clock rolled around, he would head for Second Circle to see his cousins, and where Xigbar could keep an eye on him without rooftops being involved.

He saw Sora start walking again, but in a direction opposite the way to Second Circle. He groaned, getting up and stretching his legs. More rooftop hopping. Ugh. At least he walked slowly, and was fairly obvious about where he was going. Some targets were like trying to keep up with fog, or something equally ephemeral. But this was going to be a long day.

xXx

"Can I play the sitar song?"

"No. Absolutely not."

"Please?" Demyx's expression shifted to a full-blown pout, complete with puppy eyes and wobbly lip. Zexion rolled his eyes, unable to stop the wry smile from appearing on his face.

"That has never worked on me. Not when Axel does it, not when Riku or Roxas does it, and not even the one time that Marluxia tried it on me." he said pointedly. "Anyway, you don't want the song to end up blacklisted like 'Disco Inferno', do you?"

Demyx's eyes widened as he remembered that sneaking 'Disco Inferno' out of the main music selection was practically the reason that Xemnas had hired him. He gulped, shaking his head, and Zexion leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "There. Now play something normal, and we'll play that later." The dancer slipped out of the small music booth, heading back into the crowd. There was a good group in the club today. No one too rowdy, no one causing trouble... It was perfect. A good day was when Lexaeus and Xaldin didn't have to do any work at all. The huge room thrummed with the beat of the music, and Axel had turned on the flashing, multicolored spotlights above the stage, so random sections of the crowd lit up various colors every few seconds.

He spotted Terra wandering through the club, clearly on his way back to speak to his brother, and raised an eyebrow. The older man looked wary and nervous, and people were running into him, looking very annoyed. He had obviously forgotten that the easiest way to get around was to dance your way through the crowd. Zexion could tell that something was up, but whatever Xemnas was planning with his family was none of his business. If it didn't involve the employees or the building Zexion lived in, he wasn't going to worry about it.

At least not on the surface.

He turned around to find that a girl with blond hair styled in an upsweep had nearly run into him. A blue headband held her hair in place, and she was wearing a light blue dress. "Sorry!" she said. "You're Zexion, right? I got separated from my boyfriend, Char, and someone ran into me... My name is Ella." She smiled brightly, turning briefly brilliant purple as a roving spotlight hit them.

"Yeah, I'm Zexion." The dancer smiled in return. Since karaoke night, more people had become brave enough to try to speak to him. And he'd been much more likely to answer back. 'No fear' was his new motto, inspired by Demyx, and the fact that his parents would have wanted it that way. "Nice to meet you." Knowing that he'd get squished if he didn't dance, he kept time with the beat of the music, resuming dancing as he asked, "Char is an unusual name. How did he get that? Reminds me of Axel."

"It's short for 'Charming'. His parents were completely enchanted by fairy-tales." Ella giggled, following his lead and beginning to dance as well. She was older than Zexion by a few years, but was still bright and happy. "I'm lucky. I mean, I wouldn't have met him at all if my godmother hadn't introduced us. My stepsisters are so jealous."

"I hope you find him." Zexion said sincerely. "A girl like you doesn't deserve to be without a dance partner."

"And I can tell him I talked to the 'Ice Prince' and he wasn't icy at all!" Ella laughed. She waved, weaving back into the crowd, and Zexion blinked in surprise. He'd heard Demyx call him that before, but was that really his nickname amongst the clubbers? That was... odd, to say the least. He jumped as a hand landed on his shoulder, and heard Terra's voice ask, "Who was that?"

"Her name is Ella." Zexion replied. "She's looking for her boyfriend." He heard Terra sigh, and turned around to smirk at the brunet. "You have Aqua, if I remember correctly."

"You have me there. She'd have my head." Terra admitted, his face turning briefly green from a spotlight. "Aqua's the best thing that ever happened to me. I'd never dream of having anyone else fill that spot in my life." He looked down at the silveret and smiled. "Of course, you know what that's like."

Zexion nodded. He wasn't sure when the musician had become so important to him, but he couldn't imagine a situation where Demyx wouldn't be there. Something vital and important would disappear from his world. "Yeah. I know." he murmured.

Terra smiled fondly. "I need to go. There are some things I need to take care of." He paused. "Oh, yeah. Xem wants to see you, if you can be spared from the floor."

"For Superior? Of course." Zexion nodded. "Thanks for telling me."

"Any time. See you around, Zexion." Terra headed for the front door, and Zexion chuckled as he watched him brush off several female admirers, though Ella wasn't among them. He easily danced his way through the crowd to the door to the back room, wondering what Xemnas wanted to see him for. He hadn't done anything wrong... Maybe he was being given a raise! Or extra hours. Or extra vacation days! Not that he did anything with his vacation anyway. He liked work. Or maybe their all-seeing omniscient boss had figured out that...

Zexion shook his head. Picking his way around couches and scattered socks, he stepped into the hallway and paused in front of Xemnas's door. The man was like family; more of an uncle, since Mr. Wisen had filled the spot of "father". The point was, Xemnas wouldn't be too terrible to him, even if it was bad news.

He knocked once, and heard the Superior's voice tell him to come in. He opened the door, walking in to stand before Xemnas's desk. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

Xemnas looked up. "Oh, yes. Zexion." He set aside the stack of papers he'd been looking through to one side, steepling his fingers on top of the desk. "From what I've been hearing, you've been much more agreeable to visitors lately. Ever since karaoke night, actually." As always, his expression gave away nothing of what he thought. His face remained calm and even.

Zexion opened his mouth to say something, possibly to offer an explanation, possibly to object, possibly to thank his boss for the kind words. He settled on glancing aside at the potted desk cactus that sat on the table in the corner nook. But Xemnas kept talking, and Zexion forced himself to look back and meet his boss's gaze, the orange eyes piercing and all-knowing. "It is not my business to pry into your personal life, Zexion..." From his expression, he already knew everything anyway. "But whatever is making you so happy... Hold onto it and don't let go."

The silveret stared at him, quite dumbfounded. He nodded once, and said quietly, "...Y-Yes, sir. I won't, Xemnas."

"That's all." Xemnas said, picking up his papers again. Zexion got up to leave, and he called, "Zexion?"

"Yes?"

"Vexen is going shopping to restock the kitchen this afternoon, and was wondering if there was anything in particular you wanted."

Zexion thought for a moment. "Sea-salt ice cream, if that's okay."

Xemnas nodded. "I will tell him. Or get Saïx to tell him."

"Thank you, sir." Zexion hurried back into the hallway, not stopping until he reached the back room, where he burst into laughter. He supposed this was as close as he'd get to having a father-figure approve his boyfriend, however indirectly. Swallowing the rest of his mirth, he composed himself and went back out into the main room to return to work.

xXx

Xigbar groaned in frustration. Apparently Sora wasn't going to Second Circle today, so Xigbar was reduced to sitting on a rooftop across from his apartment building, looking for any sign of him coming back out. On the bright side, he told himself, apparently this target would only take a few days of observation. Sora was like any other happy, teenage, almost-out-of-high-school kid. But damn was this boring. Not to mention it was ninety degrees, and sitting on the concrete roof only made it feel hotter. Stuff like this was so much more tolerable in late spring and early fall, but unfortunately he couldn't decide when leads finally appeared.

He'd had to go to the Seekers a few days ago to report his progress. It was maybe once every two months, he had to let them know of any developments. And for years, it was the same every time. "Nothing to report." "No changes." It was infuriating, for them as well as him. But this time, he'd been able to tell them that he had the barest hint of a lead.

Vanitas, the kid they'd sent to talk to him, had been thrilled. The other one, an impatient-looking man in imposing black and purple robes, had simply seemed condescending. As in, "at least you've found _something_", like he doubted Xigbar's ability or something. No one should ever question the mighty Xigbar's powers of person-hunting!

Unfortunately, at that moment he realized that in his moment of self-glory, he'd neglected to watch the building for almost three minutes. When he looked back, thankfully, it was unchanged. He saw the boy's guardian, a man that he had learned was named Squall Leonhart, nickname Leon, through one of the windows. He had a pitiful amount of information on this man. Just that he was brunet, buff like he knew how to fight, and was a member of the Scarred Faces Club. On that note, he needed to remember to ask Saïx at some point what had happened to his face. X-shaped scars just weren't normal. Not usually.

Xigbar groaned. He was getting distracted again. This Leon guy didn't matter. All that he needed was to make sure he got Sora somewhere where his guardian wasn't nearby. The man would never know who had been responsible. This if Sora was even the right kid.

He shuddered, thinking about the possibility that all of this staking out had been a waste. That was it! No more sitting on rooftops. He'd just have to keep an eye out, and get the kid alone. No way to answer his questions without asking directly, anyway. No one would know Sora's family better than Sora, after all. He could catching him going to or from Second Circle, since it was almost a guarantee he'd return there eventually.

Xigbar sighed, standing up to stretch, and glanced at the time. He really needed a cup of coffee. Fuck this staking out thing. Sora could wait another day.

A few minutes later, there was nothing on the rooftop but grit and trash.

xXx

"...Sora Leonhart?"

"The last name is different, sir. It's the last name of his guardian, according to the mercenary, Handel." The Seeker of Absolution nodded respectfully to Xehanort, keeping his eyes averted. Their leader had not returned to any of their meeting places since Xigbar had reported in, so he was just receiving the news now. "He took the name when his current guardian adopted him. We don't know what his original last name was at present."

"So he is _guessing_ that this is the right child, Frollo?" Xehanort said quietly, obviously displeased.

"He's looking into it farther as we speak." Frollo replied. "As he said to Vanitas and I, it is the best lead we've had in years. Pursuing it is really our only option at the moment."

"Xigbar Handel is not the only person I have looking. He is merely the least well-known, and that is to our advantage." The Seeker of Darkness turned away. "Others in this group are searching as well, each in their own way. Power, Death, Completion, Redemption and others are looking into as many threads as they can find, pursuing the problem from their own angles. Xigbar is not the only puppet that can be manipulated."

"Sir, if I may be so bold, I do not trust Vincent Valentine." Frollo frowned. "His motives are too unclear. And with what the city knows of our group, even if they cannot prove anything, to join us and take the title of "redemption" seems strange to me."

"Because you were formerly of the clergy, and redemption is a word you used often?" Xehanort asked, smiling wryly at the wall, where the older man couldn't see. He wasn't sure why Frollo was still with the gang, since the Seeker of Absolution had disliked his father and disliked him as well. Apparently the lure of one day controlling the city was simply too great to turn down.

"There is no such thing as redemption." Frollo said stiffly. "No one can escape their sins, so it is futile to try. The only way is to avoid sin in the first place."

"Like you." It was a flat statement, not a question, tinged with sarcasm so subtle it might not have even been there. Xehanort turned back around, raising an eyebrow at the former clergyman. "Vincent has as much of my trust as anyone else in this organization. He has taken our newest recruit, the Seeker of Order, under his wing, and unless I am given reason otherwise, I will not suspect him."

"Sir." Frollo nodded, unable to argue with his leader's logic. He could barely make out Xehanort's expression in the dim room, and while the son of their former leader was much younger than him, Frollo could tell there was something dangerous about him. Nodding respectfully to the other, he hurried from the abandoned building, ignoring the cobwebs and dust. Next time it would be a different building, maybe with worse things.

He had other things to do besides worry about buildings anyway. There was a policeman and his thieving girlfriend getting too close to the Seeker's affairs for comfort, and it was his responsibility to deal with the threat. They would regret the day that they messed with such a powerful group.

xXx

The outer edges of the city, in Alley to Between and other such areas, were not the best neighborhoods. But if you were known well enough, you were left alone. Ben Garoch's reputation was such that the streets were safe for him. No one wanted to mess with the Seeker of Death, no matter what sort of person they were. Most people thought it was unsettling just to look at him, because of his luminous yellow eyes.

Ben was searching the outer edges of the city for something, a secret that had been known to the leaders of the gangs before the purge. Master Escuridao, Xehanort's father, had known something, but hadn't seen fit to pass the knowledge on to his son. All that Xehanort knew was that whatever it was lay hidden somewhere near the city limits.

He passed a wall that was scrawled with graffiti, proclaiming vulgar things about the city's police force. It was true, unfortunately. The police did next to nothing, and even the Turks were struggling. If not for the Angels, the Seekers might already be in control of the city.

Walking by the tattoo parlor where he and Maleficent had cornered Morningstar, he caught a glimpse of the blonde woman who worked there through the window. She was arguing with a tanned young man with thick black hair, shaggy like a lion's mane. When he turned around to storm out, Ben noticed a scar that streaked across his eye. So much violence for one city. He could see why people would be worried, and why Riku Morningstar would be so willing to accept a plan that could potentially end the gang fights entirely.

Beyond the Alley to Between was Naught's Skyway, a tangle of overpasses that led in and out of the city, winding over and under each other like some sort of Gordian Knot. The buildings beneath these overpasses were forbidding-looking and close together, separated only by cramped alleys and narrow streets. Homeless people and criminals lived here, as well as those who couldn't afford to do any better. Ben kept a cursory eye on his surroundings. He wasn't worried about the rabble that called this district their home, but the One-Winged Angel had been sighted here recently, and the last thing that he needed was to get in a fight with the Angels' leader. Not tonight.

He made his way through the maze of alleys, finally emerging on the very edge of the city. Nothing out here but grass, trees, and one very large drain pipe. For the sake of being thorough, he walked over to check it. It seemed like an ordinary enough pipe, but as he scanned the ground in front of it, he noticed footprints in the dry dust. The dusty footprints continued into the pipe itself, two sets, and Ben realized he had found it. There was no other explanation.

He ignored the artwork in the pipe. Graffiti was graffiti, no matter the skill level of the artist. It wasn't what he was there for, in any case. When he came to the Cavern of Remembrance, he knew that it had to be the place he was seeking. Xehanort had spoken of it as a secret place, and Ben could think of no place more secret than at the bottom of a drain pipe.

Pipes steamed and gears turned as he picked his way through the cavern, and he found himself wondering what they could be powering this far underground. He received his answer at the end of the white marble corridor, when he entered the Garden of Assemblage and spotted the computer. "The Seeker of Darkness... will be very pleased."

He took a moment to look around the room, examining the pictures in the archways. The images of etched glass were nothing to him; a pretty reminder of a dead past.

"The Guardians..." he murmured, gazing at the image of a crossed flag and sword. Another gang, its members either dead or scattered in fear by the Seekers' hand. Their motif had been performing; a gang of acrobats and tricksters. It made them no less of a threat in the end. "The Dragoons..." A picture of a dragon wound around a spear. He remembered the last two Dragoons. He and Maleficent had cornered them, a father and son, Kain and Richter Highwind. They'd fought bravely, but come out of the encounter dead. A cousin of theirs lived in Radiant Garden, but the Seekers had stopped watching him years ago. He was no threat to them.

He walked right past the arch with etched wings, symbol of the perpetual thorn in their sides that was the Angels, and paused again to look at the twisted airship. He nodded to it as if in reverence, and made his way to the computer. It was an image of the World of Chaos, emblem of the Seekers.

The computer started up with no problems, and Ben's eyes flashed with anticipation. But then a plain grey screen came up with just a single word, "Password?", and a box to type in.

The Seeker of Death frowned at it, but clicked the button to shut it down. If this was the secret that the gang leaders had worked so hard to bury, the password would not be easy to crack. Xehanort would have a better idea than him. The only thing that bothered him was the footprints. Someone else had been here, recently. But the important thing was that the Garden had been found. Xehanort, hopefully, could do the rest. That computer would be a wealth of information. It could even potentially tell them where the child they sought was hiding. Perhaps the child had even been the one to visit, and they could set a trap in the passage or the cavern for him.

Yes... This was perfect.

* * *

Hey, guys. Sorry it's been so long. I left for vacation and didn't get a chance to finish the chapter beforehand. The beach was great, if anyone cares. XD

I'm officially preregistered to go to Otakon! If any of you happen to be going, I'll be there with Aki and my other friend Momi on Friday and Saturday, as myself, the cliched keyblading wonder, on Friday, and as Zexion on Saturday. Hopefully I can find an Organization coat. If not, I guess I'll be Second Circle!Zexion instead. :D More on that later...

One of my favorite silly crack pairings... TerraxCinderella. Yeah. Don't ask.

Soooo... I think there was plot. Not a lot of dialogue there, but definitely plot. Chernabog doesn't talk much anyway. XD Enjoy the chapter!

Li

Reader Quest: The two that Frollo is off to "deal with"... Who might they be?  
Song List: "I'll be Watching You" by Sting, "Night on Bald Mountain" from Fantasia

XD


	16. Taken to Court

**Taken to Court**

Thursday morning, Riku showed up at Second Circle at eleven o'clock, both hands shaking with nervousness. He let himself into the kitchen, ignoring the sink of breakfast dishes and pausing by the door to the hallway. He could do this. There was no reason to be nervous. He stepped into the hallway, which was dim because there were no lights on. Obviously no one had come this way since breakfast, and Xemnas and Saïx weren't here yet.

When he reached the back room, he noticed that the TV was turned to a random talk show, but no one was actually watching. The squashy couches and chairs were abandoned, though there was a pair of socks hanging off the coffee table. There was music coming from the main room, a dance-techno-pop-sounding song, and he went to investigate.

Zexion and Xion were in the middle of the main floor, working on some of the more complicated moves that the employees used. Zexion paused in his movements, shaking his head and turning to his sister.

"Arch your back more; it'll help you keep your balance. Bend your left knee... there. Hold that."

Xion wobbled for a second, but held. She managed to stand perfectly still for about ten seconds before jumping back to a normal standing position and hopping up and down. "I got it, Zex! I got it!"

Zexion smiled fondly. "Now you just have to hit it at the end of the routine. I won't be able to stop and rearrange you in the middle of the stage." He ruffled her hair, starting to turn away, and paused. His eyes traced Riku's slightly blurry reflection in the dance floor all the way to where he stood in the doorway. "You're here kind of early."

"Yeah... Just didn't have anything better to do, I guess." He turned away, glancing up at the few stage lights that were on, and tried to put the words he needed together in his mind. Behind him, he heard Zexion and Xion continue practicing, and waited until he heard them stop again before speaking. "Hey, uh-"

He was promptly interrupted by a tentative knock on the front door. A tall young man with light brown hair to his shoulders was standing there, dressed in artfully slashed jeans and a thick, dark denim jacket. Zexion frowned curiously and walked over to the door, waving a hand at Riku in a gesture that the other silveret interpreted to mean 'turn on some more lights'. Zexion, meanwhile, stopped next to the glass and asked, "Can we help you?"

"My name is Adam." the man replied. "I was wondering if I could ask a favor."

Zexion looked him over for a few seconds and then unlocked the door. "Come in, please. What is it you wish to ask?"

"Well, my girlfriend likes this place a lot." Adam began, stepping inside and looking around. "Loves it here. It's seriously her favorite place, other than the library or my house. The atmosphere, the music, the employees..." He smiled wryly. "I can't pretend I'm not a little jealous sometimes, especially of that guy with the dreadlocks who watches the door. But I want to ask her to marry me, and I was wondering if you would let me propose to her here, onstage."

Xion squealed with delight, clapping her hands together. "That's so romantic!"

Riku blinked, still staring at Adam, and then lit up. "Wait a minute! I know who you are! You're the Beast!"

Adam nodded. "Yes, I am." Noting Zexion and Xion's baffled expressions, he clarified, "I'm a biker. All bikers have to have tough-sounding nicknames, right?"

Xion giggled, and Zexion smiled. "I see no reason why we can't grant your request. Come with me, and we'll write a memo for the others to go on the bulletin board. I'll need you to sign it..." The dancers checked the bulletin board faithfully, so they would definitely see the message.

When Zexion and Adam had disappeared into the back room, Riku glanced over at Xion. "Hey, Xion, uh... Would you want to... uh..."

"Yes, Riku?" Xion raised an eyebrow, turning to face him. He wanted to melt into the shiny floor and disappear.

"Would you want to... go get some lunch with me? There's this new restaurant called Tiana's Place..."

Xion grinned deviously, proving with the expression that she'd spent too much of her childhood around Axel. "Are you asking me out, Riku?" She rolled her eyes as Riku made a face like he'd been kicked in the stomach. She continued to look up at the draping fabric that lined the walls, as if praying for patience, and then looked right at Riku and said matter-of-factly, "Honestly, boys are so clueless. You're like my brother and Demyx: painfully obvious. I was wondering when you'd ask."

"So you..." Riku attempted to ask.

"Yes, I'll go to lunch with you." Xion sighed, but smiled warmly and walked over to lean up and kiss him on the cheek. "Let me tell my brother and change my clothes. I'll be right back." She too disappeared into the back, and Riku waited until he was sure she was gone before punching the air triumphantly.

"Ha! I told Sora I could do it!"

xXx

Xemnas was more than willing to allow Adam to propose to his girlfriend onstage. He ordered everyone into their formal uniforms, the black leather coats with silver chains and tall black leather boots. He even put on his own formal coat, a leather coat like theirs, but white with a complicated black pattern on it.

Everything was prepared when Second Circle opened, though Riku and Xion weren't back yet. Xemnas was annoyed, but when Zexion told him about the morning's events, he sounded a little more inclined to forgive the teen's absence.

Adam found Zexion shortly after one-thirty, under the pretense of having left to use the restroom. "Belle is still dancing. She has no idea."

"Are you ready?" Zexion asked. "Axel's going to call the room to attention."

Adam nodded. "I've never been more ready for anything, ever."

"Then let's do this."

xXx

Outside of Second Circle, Xaldin and Vexen were trying to fix one of the hinges on the front door. It had rusted through on one side, and the only option was to replace it entirely. Neither was paying attention when a man dressed in red walked up and stopped in front of the club.

He stood there for a long moment, and when neither noticed him, he ran a hand through his slicked-back black hair and cleared his throat loudly. Vexen glanced up and said shortly, "The door is open, you know. Can we help you?"

"Is this establishment where Belle and that abominable thing she calls a boyfriend are?" he asked. He used a grand sort of voice, like he considered himself extremely important.

Vexen raised an eyebrow. "Adam? Yes. Are you here to see him propose?"

"Propose!" the man gasped. "Not Belle! She belongs with me!"

Xaldin got up and stepped to block the door, an inch or two taller than the stranger and extremely intimidating in the black coat. "If you are going to be a disruption, I'm afraid I must ask you to leave."

"But I'm Gaston!" the man exclaimed. "No one fights like Gaston! No one's as suave as Gaston! No one takes down rivals in love like Gaston!" He spat on the street, but missed and hit Vexen's boot instead. Vexen sniffed disgustedly and slipped past Xaldin to return inside.

Xaldin frowned and folded his arms, clearly indicating that he had no intention to move out of Gaston's way. Gaston snorted dismissively and turned on his heel, seemingly ready to walk away, but suddenly whipped back around and lunged at the bouncer. Xaldin blocked the first punch easily, but stumbled back when the angry man kicked him in the stomach. His boot left a dusty footprint on Xaldin's leather coat.

"You will regret that." he growled. He pushed Gaston back, away from the door, leaning to avoid another punch and retaliating a with a blow of his own. His fist met Gaston's face, knocking the other to the ground.

Gaston forced himself to his feet, pulling a knife from his boot. Xaldin watched that hand carefully, but paid attention to all of the other's movements. A knife wound wouldn't help the situation at all. Gaston tried to slash at him, obviously enraged beyond logical tactics, and only managed to catch the wide part of Xaldin's sleeve. Xaldin caught his hand, squeezing until he could hear the bones grinding and Gaston was forced to drop the knife. With his other hand, Xaldin punched him again, sending him back to the asphalt.

"Get out of here, and don't come back."

Gaston got up and ran. He clearly hadn't expected the nightclub's bouncers to be so formidable. Xaldin smirked as he turned back to the door, surveying his torn sleeve. Now he would have to buy a new coat. That Gaston was lucky. If Lexaeus had been here, he'd have had some broken bones.

xXx

Inside, Axel had gotten up onstage with one of the freestanding microphones. Demyx killed the music, and made sure that the mike level was high enough.

"Hey, guys!" Axel called, and all eyes shot to the stage. Axel grinned, and his green eyes scanned the crowd as he continued, "I understand that there is a lovely lady named Belle in the house. I need her up onstage, right now!"

There was mumbling all around the room, and then the crowd parted to let a young brunette-haired lady through. She was wearing a gold dress, and her hair hung down behind her in a loose ponytail. Axel watched her come up the stairs, waiting until she was almost to the center of the stage before turning to hand the microphone to Adam, who'd been waiting in the wings.

"Beast!" someone in the audience shouted, but Adam ignored him. Instead, he smiled as Belle's eyes widened in confusion.

"Adam, what's going on?" she asked.

Adam shook his head. "I know that you love this place, so I couldn't think of anywhere better." He kneeled down, pulling a ring from his pocket. Belle gasped, tears coming to her eyes, and he said softly, "Belle, you've taught me to be a better person. I have changed so much, and it's all thanks to you. I love you, with my whole heart. Will you marry me?"

Belle wiped her eyes, pulling him to his feet and hugging him tightly. "Of course. Of course I will..." She kissed him, and he slid the ring onto her finger. The crowd was cheering and whistling, and Adam turned to shake hands with Axel.

"Thank you."

Belle shook the redhead's hand as well, saying, "Yes, thank you so much."

"Don't thank me." Axel laughed. "Zexion got the okay from the boss-man."

Belle turned, spotting the silveret at the bottom of the stairs from the stage. She rushed over and threw her arms around him. "Thank you, thank you, so much!"

Axel only laughed harder, and even Adam cracked a smile at the overwhelmed look on Zexion's face. His wide blue eyes begged for help over Belle's shoulder. When she finally released him, he took a deep breath and smiled. "Of course. Anything to make people happy."

Belle pecked him on the cheek before returning to Adam, and the two made their way to the door, Belle saying something about telling her father. Axel clapped Zexion on the shoulder as he went by, saying only, "You've definitely changed, Zex."

Zexion nodded. "I know." And it was only for the better.

xXx

The afternoon was rather slow after that. The only unusual thing was that Riku and Xion still hadn't returned from their 'date'. Xemnas was starting to get annoyed, and soon even his fondness for Xion wasn't going to be enough to save Riku. He had a cell phone, so there was no reason that he couldn't have at least called. It was causing Zexion to worry for his sister, and the rest of the employees were channelling his anxiousness.

At three-thirty, the front door swung open on perfectly-repaired hinges, admitting Yazoo Crescent into the nightclub. He surveyed the dance floor critically, looking around for any of the dancers. They were on break at that point, so no one was on the floor except Lexaeus. Yazoo frowned, remembering the bouncer's reaction to him the last time he'd been in the club, and made his way along the side of the room opposite the bar, staying out of his line of sight. He made sure no one was looking, and slipped into the back room, shutting the door behind him.

Marluxia saw him first, sleepy teal eyes blinking from where he was dozing on one of the couches. He sat up, frowning, and asked, "Who are you? You're not supposed to be back here."

Axel shifted to look as well, and smirked. "Well, what's this? If you're looking for Riku, he's not here. Tell Phiros to keep his Angels out, especially if they're going to wander into areas they shouldn't be in."

"I'm not here for the One-Winged Angel." Yazoo said. "Riku sent me. His cell phone is out of power, and he asked me to let you know why he was late. The restaurant had a two-hour wait."

Demyx frowned, having gained the wariness of the gangs shared by all of Second Circle's employees. "Why should we believe you?"

"Are all of you as paranoid as that one?" Yazoo asked exasperatedly, waving a hand to indicate Zexion. "Riku was with a girl, surprisingly enough, with black hair and blue eyes that match the paranoid one's. He said you would be worried, and he'd be back for night shift. He also said he'd work overtime doing whatever you wanted."

"He has seen Riku and Xion." Demyx said. "I guess he's telling the truth."

"Of course I am." Yazoo perched on the arm of one of the couches, at the opposite end from Zexion and Demyx. "I hadn't seen Riku since he got that tattoo. It looks good on him. Very similar to mine. Apparently he hasn't distanced himself as much as he'd like to think."

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked curiously.

"Everyone in our family has a tattoo." Yazoo explained, shrugging off his jacket. He was wearing a sleeveless black shirt underneath, and he pulled one shoulder off to show the rose on his right shoulder, surrounded by twining vines that looked a lot like Riku's.

"Cool..." Roxas said. He seemed ready to comment further, but someone out in the main room screamed, and all the dancers were on their feet in a second. That was a sound none of them had heard in a while, and it usually signaled something bigger than Lexaeus could handle on his own.

Yazoo followed them as they hurried out onto the floor, and the crowd parted to let them through to the front of the club. An older man was standing there, black robes sweeping the floor and a ridiculous-looking purple-and-black hat on his head. But, most importantly, in one hand he held an unsheathed sword.

"Whoa, whoa, what the hell?" Axel asked, stepping up beside Lexaeus. "You can't bring that in here!"

"I'm afraid I must ask you to leave." Lexaeus rumbled. "Or we will throw you out."

The man frowned, and said loudly, "I am Claude Frollo, the Seeker of Absolution. I am looking for two vagabonds who fled into this place. Turn them over, and I will be on my way."

Zexion turned pale, and nudged Roxas in the shoulder. "Go get Xemnas." he whispered urgently. Roxas nodded sharply and took off for the back room. Xemnas would be able to stop this man, even if they couldn't.

"Gang activity isn't allowed here." Lexaeus said firmly. "I don't care if you were chasing someone or not; you cannot come in here with a weapon like this." People were leaving at a steady rate, edging around Frollo warily to reach the front doors. There was still a fairly good crowd around the employees, though. It was through this crowd that a man and a woman appeared. The woman tapped Yazoo on the shoulder, not realizing he wasn't an employee, but knowing he was with them.

"Please..." she whispered. "Please, you must help us. We are the two that Frollo is chasing." She had long hair, black and glossy like raven's feathers, and was dressed almost like a gypsy is white, purple, and green. The man with her was slightly taller, blond, and strong-looking.

The man held out a hand, which Yazoo accepted hesitantly. "My name is Phoebus. This is Esmeralda. She's one of Master Fortunato's Gamblers, and I'm a policeman. We've been spying on the Seekers for weeks."

"Frollo will kill us." Esmeralda said. "He found out what we were doing... He will murder us if he catches us."

Yazoo was silent, indecision clear in his expression, and finally he said, "I can take you to Court. You would be safe there. Even the Seekers won't break the neutrality pact of the Court of Existence." He glanced at Zexion and Marluxia, who'd been listening to the whole story, and asked, "Is there another way out of this building?"

"A side door, in the kitchen." Zexion said immediately. "I will show you. I would like to go to Court as well, just to see, if that's okay."

Yazoo nodded. "Certainly."

Zexion frowned, glancing at Lexaeus and Axel, who were still arguing with Frollo. "We need to go as soon as possible. Will they be okay, with just Axel and Roxas here?"

"I'll come out." Marluxia said. "And we'll go find Saïx, and he and Axel can do an impromptu weapon routine. We'll be fine." He nudged Zexion in the direction of the back room, and the dancer thanked him quickly before taking off, Yazoo and the two fugitives close behind him. They passed Xemnas in the hallway, Roxas and Saïx on his heels, and for a moment Zexion was almost glad that they were leaving. Xemnas angry was a scary thing, even when the anger wasn't directed at you.

The nightclub's owner swept into the main room, and what was left of the crowd parted before him. Frollo's eyes narrowed, and he spat, "Another one? Who are you, then?"

"My name is Xemnas Nihil. I am the owner of Second Circle." Xemnas said calmly, though his eyes radiated fire. "This club is neutral ground. Remove yourself from the premises, now."

"Neutral? Hmph. It's just a club. If you are harboring fugitives, I can assure you that the Seekers will..."

"The Seekers will do nothing." Xemnas said sharply. He held out an official-looking document. "The previous owner, Mr. Ansem Wisen, signed a contract with the gang leaders that states that this place is neutral ground. He was on good terms with Master Escuridao, of the Seekers, as well as Lady Jenova, the Angels' original leader. If you look, you will see that it is all valid. And if you do not leave, I have the right to use whatever force I deem appropriate."

Frollo scowled. It was an ugly, twisted expression, but he threw the paper to the floor and turned to leave. "You will regret this! You will regret crossing the Seekers!"

Xemnas didn't dignify him with a response, instead calmly retrieving the contract. The rest of the employees came over to look, curiously. "I didn't realize it was official." Axel said. "I knew you didn't allow gang stuff, but I didn't know that this was a legit neutral zone."

"At this moment, only Frollo and the people in this room know. It is safer to keep it secret, for emergencies. This isn't like the Cathedral or Court. We are neutral to protect our own, and that's all." Xemnas said. He turned to Marluxia, and the pinkette explained where Zexion had gone. Xemnas only nodded, before returning to his office. Saïx sighed, rolling his eyes when Axel elbowed him.

"Looks like you have to come help out here!"

"...I guess. I will get our weapons."

xXx

Aerith was tending her flowers when Zexion and Yazoo entered the Cathedral, Phoebus and Esmeralda close behind. She stood up quickly, setting her watering can to one side, and nodded in acknowledgement. "Altima. What can I do for you?"

Yazoo gestured to the others. "These two need to be allowed into Court. The Seekers are out to murder them."

Aerith looked them over appraisingly. "A Gambler..." she murmured, and then frowned at Phoebus. "This one... is police. Altima, the rules of the Court say that we cannot let in those without ties to the gangs, or those in the police force. It is dangerous."

"Please!" Esmeralda burst out. The stained-glass window depicting Kingdom Hearts cast them all as a mix of blue and gold as she begged, "Phoebus has worked with me since we met, over two years ago. If he wanted to betray us, he'd have done so already! I will not see him murdered by the Seeker of Darkness and his minions!"

Aerith hesitated. "...This way." She led them to the back of the Cathedral, winding through several nicely furnished rooms, including a kitchen and a living room, both decorated in pastel shades. It finally occurred to Zexion that Aerith _lived_ here, in this church. He figured it wasn't too different from his own situation living in Second Circle.

Aerith had moved a sofa in the living room and was tapping on one wall. She finally paused, pushing at one section, and a secret door slid open, revealing a set of stairs that went down into the darkness.

Yazoo didn't hesitate, starting down immediately. Phoebus and Esmeralda only hung back for a moment, and then followed. Zexion stood there for a long moment. Did he really want to do this?

"It's you again."

It took him a moment to register that Aerith was talking to him. "Oh, yes... I suppose..."

The Angel of Mercy smiled at him. "Did things get better?"

He managed a small smile in return. "Yes."

Both looked down the stairs, which were made of the same sort of stone as the church walls. It was a small, damp tunnel, unlike the tunnel to the Garden that Demyx had shown him. That had seemed wonderous, inviting, but this just seemed forbidding. "There's something about you..." Aerith murmured. "Something I feel like I should know..." She touched Zexion on the shoulder. "Court doesn't worry about affiliations. Everyone who chooses to work for the Court is a Courtier, whether they have outside loyalties or not. But some of them are Seekers. Be careful."

He nodded, not trusting himself to say anything. Instead, he started down the stairs, wondering what he would find at the bottom.

It was brighter than he'd expected. Stone walls enclosed a hallway at the bottom of the stairs that led to a wide-open area of enormous size. Hallways led off in various directions, and a few people milled around. He spotted Yazoo talking to one wearing a white, almost uniform-looking outfit that Zexion assumed was a Courtier. The person bowed, and walked away with Phoebus and Esmeralda following him. Someone else came up to speak to the Blood-Stained Angel, and Zexion figured he could have a look around.

The whole place was lit with lamps, set all along the walls and on the columns that supported the wide common area's roof. Zexion was sure it was enough to rival the number of lights in Second Circle. The floor looked like marble or granite, some kind of reflective stone that threw the light even farther. He glanced back at Yazoo, who was still talking, and started for one of the hallways.

"Which way are you going?"

Zexion whipped around, confronted with the most extraordinary young man. His hair was dyed a strange fuchsia color, and he was wearing cat ears the same color. He was dressed a bit like a punk, all black and pink stripes and dangling gold chains and zippers, but he was barefoot. His eyes flashed somewhere between blue-green and gold. Zexion wasn't sure how to reply, but apparently it wasn't necessary; the young man bounced eagerly, circling him.

"Your body is heading that way, which is the wrong way, but that's not what matters. Where is your mind going?"

"My mind?" Zexion just stared at him, waiting.

"With everything you have to think about, the answer is: to pieces!" the strange cat-boy giggled, and Zexion saw that he had a fake tail clipped to the back belt loop of his pants, the same color as his hair. "Who are you?"

Zexion frowned. "Who are _you_?"

"Chester Boris Dodgson Carroll." Even if he hadn't been expecting an answer, the boy provided. "Cheshire Cat to some, Chess to my friends." He hovered around Zexion, grinning like a loon. "I know what you're thinking, a long name for a strange guy. But who decides what's strange and what isn't? I could be the normal one. Besides," he turned a cartwheel absently, "my name isn't as complicated as yours!"

"What?" Zexion demanded. "What do you mean? I'm just Zexion Ishida!"

Chess grinned wider. "As you say. Once you believe, a lie and the truth are quite the same thing!"

"_Chess_!" Yazoo sounded quite exasperated. He walked swiftly over, grabbing Zexion by the arm and waving Chess away. "Don't scare people who've never been here before!" Chess only laughed and raced away to freak out someone else, and Yazoo sighed. "I don't understand him."

"Who is he?" Zexion asked.

"He stays here. I've heard him call himself all sorts of things. Seeker of Puzzles, Angel of Mysteries, Gambler of Enigmas. I think he just uses the names. I don't think he has any affiliations." Yazoo started to lead him back towards the stairs. "Mostly he talks in riddles. He speaks his own language, 'confusing'."

Zexion nodded. "That, I can see..."

Yazoo blinked at him, raising one eyebrow. "Whatever he said to you, don't worry about it. It's just babble."

"Sure..." But that was easier said than done.

* * *

Hey, guys! So my mom is now not home in the mornings, so I have much more time to write now! Hopefully the next chapter is out sooner...

Squee for Xemnas's pimp coat. XD

It's a week and a half until OTAKON! I'm so excited! I've never been before; Aki and Momi and I are going to have so much fun! ...And I just know I'll spend too much money, especially since I'm old enough to buy a sword! Mwahaha!

So... not much else to say. Riku finally asked Xion out, we've seen the Court, I love Chess... ^_^ Oh, Aki wants me to tell you guys that you really ought to read the role-play we did, the Blue Notebook. I promise it gets better!

Hugs!  
Li

Reader Quest: Chester is just the closest thing to "cheshire", but what's up with his other three names?  
Song List: "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga, "Beauty and the Beast" from the movie of the same name, and "Court of Miracles" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame


	17. The Illusion of Reality

**The Illusion of Reality**

Riku was having the best day of his life.

Yes, there had been a two-hour wait at the restaurant, but that was okay. Because Xion had agreed to go out with him, and that just meant that he had an excuse to skip work and just spend time with her without her brother or Axel or Roxas or Kingdom-forbid his _boss_ hanging around. They'd sent Yazoo back to explain where he was, after all, and Riku knew that his twin was reliable. They may disapprove of each other's life choices, but in the end, they were twins, and as Roxas and Ven could back up, that made all the difference in the world in terms of sibling loyalty.

Sephiroth would have ignored him completely.

He was walking hand-in-hand with the black-haired girl back to Second Circle, smiling the whole way. Xion, too, hadn't stopped grinning since they left the restaurant.

"That was incredible, Riku!" she laughed happily. "How did you ever find that place? When the trumpet player got up and did that jazz number, and one of the owners jumped onstage to play along with him!"

"That _was_ cool." Riku said. "But he didn't have to be flirting with you!"

"I get the impression that he's like that with everyone." Xion giggled. "I live in a nightclub; I can tell those sorts of people. Anyway, he and Ms. Tiana are clearly a couple!"

Riku nodded. "So you had fun?"

"Of course! Thank you, Riku, so much!"

He couldn't stop himself from grinning widely. He'd smiled so much today that his face was starting to hurt, and he still couldn't stop. "Anything for you." He leaned over as they rounded the corner onto the street Second Circle was on and gave her a quick kiss, just a peck on the lips.

Xion pouted. "Riiiku, that's the best you can do?" When the silveret just blinked at her, she laughed again. "Again, _live in a nightclub_. I know what a kiss is supposed to be like!"

Riku sighed. "You're too old for your age."

"That's you guys' fault!"

Riku was prepared to kiss her just to make her be quiet and stop laughing at him, but was distracted as he spotted what looked like a fight down the street in the opposite direction from Second Circle. He squinted, trying to see better, and realized that it was a group of Angels, attacking someone. He nudged Xion in the direction of the club, shaking his head. "I'll kiss you properly later. Let me go see what's up with this. It's not like the Angels to just up and attack people."

"Will you be okay?" Xion asked, worry clear in her blue eyes.

"Yeah." Riku grinned cockily. "I'm not 'officially' an Angel anymore, but they still know who I am. Whatever's going on, I'll fix it."

Xion nodded, parting ways to go home, and Riku took off up the street to see what the fight was about. As he got closer, he could see that there was a man on the ground in the center of the group, and the Angels were hitting him mercilessly. It was an older man, in long black robes. A poofy purple-and-black hat rested on his head.

"Stop it!" Riku shouted, stopping a few feet away. The Angels paused, glancing at him, and immediately kneeled to him.

"Morningstar, we..."

"Do _not_ call me that. Since when do the Angels attack people on the street?" They were young, unranked and without call-names, but that changed nothing.

"Sir, Altima put in a call and ordered..."

"Altima ordered this?" Riku scowled. His twin... What was Yazoo thinking? Attacking an old man on the street? The Angels operated with tact and subtlety. This was a mockery. "Go home. All of you. Now."

Obviously they could tell how angry he was, because they all chorused an affirmative and fled. Riku helped the man to his feet, apologizing quickly, "Forgive their behavior, please. I will speak with Altima about this, soon."

"I don't know what happened..." the man said faintly. "One minute, I was on my way to the church, and the next... They came from nowhere."

"It won't happen again. Not if I can help it." Riku said. "I hope you aren't hurt to badly. You'll be okay now."

"Thank you so much." The man watched as Riku turned and walked off, back into the city, before wiping the pitiful expression from his face and replacing it with a sinister smile. Frollo chuckled. It was an unexpected windfall, but it seemed that the Seeker of Power's plan would turn out beautifully.

xXx

Xion explained what had happened once she reached the club, and bought Riku the rest of the time until night shift began.

"He'll probably have to go talk to his brothers, and that could take a while." Axel reasoned. "Whatever. As long as he's here for night shift, Xemnas might not murder him. But hey, listen. You'll never believe what happened today while you were gone!"

xXx

Riku looked around the abandoned building warily, uncertain what he was going to find. He hadn't gone to see his brothers. They'd never listened to his concerns about the gangs. No, he'd gone to the one person who'd promised him an out; a way to make the fighting stop for good. This was where he'd been told to come, and now it was just a matter of waiting.

When the black-haired woman walked out of another room, pausing when she saw him on the dust-covered sofa, she smiled warmly.

"Riku Morningstar." Maleficent said, her voice oozing like honey. "What brings you here?" She already knew, but it never hurt to play innocent.

Riku looked at his feet, scuffing at the spots where the finish had worn off the wooden floor. "...I saw something today. A group of Angels attacking an old man. They said it was on Altima's orders."

"Altima is your brother, yes?" Maleficent asked, taking a seat in a nearby chair.

"My twin. I... I can't figure out how something like this would have happened. And I can't ask. Sep... Phiros will feed me some bullshit story about how it was necessary, I'm sure. I just want all of this to stop." He looked up at Maleficent, meeting her poison-green eyes. "You said you had a plan; an idea to make the fighting stop. Tell me about it."

Maleficent was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking it over, and then began to speak.

"There is... a child. We presume a boy, but there's no real way of knowing. This child is the last survivor of the Seekers' purge from ten years ago. If we could find this child, he or she would be a rallying point, behind whom we could gather the other gangs and the Seekers who are dissatisfied with Xehanort's leadership. We can overthrow Xehanort and appoint new leadership, making peace with the Angels and the Gamblers. _That_ will end the fighting."

Riku frowned. "So what is it that you want me to do?"

"Only keep your eyes and ears open." Maleficent said. "We have others looking, of course, but you are in a perfect position, at a nightclub that so many people frequent. You are more likely to find something than the rest of us."

"I can do that." Riku looked at his watch. "You promise, this will stop the violence?"

"It's the best plan that we have right now."

The teenager nodded. "I have to go; I'll be late for work. But I will keep a lookout. I will find this kid, for my friends' sake, for the city, and for me." He got up, nodding farewell and leaving without looking back. Another teenager came in through the same door Maleficent had, leaning up against the wall and smirking cruelly.

"You've really got him going, don't you?" Vanitas chuckled.

Maleficent smiled. "It's a matter of offering people what they want. The fighting will stop, after all... because there will be no one left to fight back."

xXx

When Riku arrived at Second Circle, no one questioned his absence. He hurried into the back to get ready for work, while Axel flitted around in the front room, bothering various people in turn.

"Dem-Dem..." he drawled, draping himself over a box in the music booth. The musician glanced at him, raising an eyebrow questioningly, and Axel said, "I need your help with something..."

"What?"

"So, say I have some lyrics... And I needed some music to go with them..."

"You wrote something?" Demyx took the sheet of notebook paper that Axel offered him, his eyes scanning it quickly. "Are you serious? This is ridiculous, even for you." He read farther. "And somehow you still manage to be a snark. Does this have a tune?"

Axel sang it in a low voice, keeping one eye on the door the whole time. Demyx looked vaguely impressed. "That actually sounds better than I thought it would. You need music for this?"

"Yeah. Guitar, drums, and keyboard."

"By when?" Demyx sighed.

"...Next Thursday...?"

Demyx groaned. "I'll do my best. Now get out. I have to set up a new track list. We've used the old one for a week." He shooed Axel out of the crowded booth, and the red-head laughed triumphantly before skipping over to grab Saïx, who was trying to escape back into his office now that Riku was had returned from his date.

"Saïx, my one true best friend, remember how you owe me help with the weapon exhibition script?"

Saïx frowned. It was horrid to be reminded of losing that bet. "What do you want, Axel? I have a payroll to balance."

"Can I trade my help with the script for help with something else?"

Saïx hummed disapprovingly. "Does this have anything to do with the fact that Roxas' birthday is a week from today?"

"...Maybe..."

The blunet rolled his eyes. "Of course I will help you, you imbecile." He liked Roxas just as much as the rest of them.

Axel grinned. "Brilliant! And now you and Mar can go back to whatever you're doing while the rest of us are dancing."

"Actually, Marluxia has to stay." Saïx said. "Zexion went to Xemnas and asked for the night off. He's looked kind of shell-shocked since he got back from the Court of Existence."

"All right, then. And remember, you promised to help!" Axel shrugged off Zexion's absence easily, hurrying off to ask Marluxia about what routine they'd do. Saïx sighed. Axel was so... so... so Axel. All the time.

xXx

Terra Nihil was not the sort of person to get nervous easily. Only when Master Eraqus was criticizing him, and that was only because the man was an old family friend, had known him and Xemnas since they were small, and could pick out a flaw from a mile away. And when your older brother is perpetually more impressive than you...

But Terra was nervous now. His position with the Seekers was paying off, and Vincent was keeping them from inquiring too closely about him. But he still wasn't deep enough in to learn the important information. In the meantime, there were other things he had to do. Other things to set up and make ready, for the worst-case scenario. That was why he was standing outside of the Addled Impasse, a bar and casino that was famous for being the hang-out of the higher-ups in the Gamblers. He needed to speak to Luxord Fortunato, and hopefully nothing would get in the way.

The casino blazed with brightly colored lights, neon machines blinking and chiming, attempting to entice the unlucky or the foolish to play. Some sort of techno-jazz played from the speakers, an underlying layer of electronica to add to the atmosphere. Everything was shiny, golden metallic or lit up in a million rainbow colors. Terra felt blinded.

He hovered in the open area by the entrance for a few minutes, scuffing at the thick red carpet and wondering where to go. A very drunk-looking girl dressed like a pirate came up and tried to cling to his arm.

"Hiya, there, handsome!" she slurred. "You look like you could use some fun!"

Terra carefully untangled her from his arm, having spotted a door near the back with two bouncers guarding it. "Sorry, I have a girlfriend."

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her!" the girl objected, and Terra shook his head.

"Go bother someone else." He pushed away from her, heading through the crowds and for the door he'd seen. The bouncers saw him coming, and seemed to stiffen.

"No one's admitted back here." one said firmly.

"I need to speak to Master Fortunato." Terra said. He considered for a moment, and then reached into his pocket and pulled out the pin that Vincent had given him, the emblem of the demon airship. "It's urgent." He didn't wear the pin except when he had to be around the Seekers, on principle, but it was useful for moments like these.

Both bouncers scowled, but stepped aside. "What business do the Seekers have with our boss?"

"Something they'll speak of to your boss, and to him alone." Terra retorted, slipping past them into the back rooms of the casino.

There was a card table set up in the back, and a man with short blond hair and a neatly trimmed goatee was sitting at the head of the table, smiling as another player dealt a hand for poker. Terra waited until the man looked up and acknowledged him, remembering what Xemnas had said and letting the Gambler of Fate speak first.

"And who might you be?"

Terra dipped his head respectfully. "I wish to speak with you, Master Fortunato."

"He's from the Seekers, boss." One of the bouncers had followed Terra, obviously to make sure that he didn't try anything while he was here. Luxord Fortunato raised an eyebrow, but stood up from the table.

"My friends, excuse me, I will return in a few minutes." He came around the table, waving off the bouncer and beckoning to Terra. "Come this way, and we will talk." He led the brunet through another door, where they walked down a hallway and into a room furnished with a few sofas and chairs. Luxord sat down in one of the chairs and fixed Terra with a piercing stare. "What business could the Seekers possibly have to discuss with me. I've never seen you before."

"It's not business from the Seekers." Terra admitted, sinking warily onto another chair. "I've joined the Seekers to gain information for my brother. His name is Xemnas Nihil. He owns Second Circle."

"I remember him." Luxord said with a laugh. "Sharp young man. He was there when Ansem Wisen got us all together to sign the pact to make his nightclub neutral. What does he want?"

"If something were to happen... If the Seekers were to push the boundaries too far, would you be willing to be on our side?" Terra said. "I realize that it is an outrageous request, but my brother is all about contingency plans and worst-case scenarios."

"Is he planning to fight the Seekers?" Luxord asked curiously.

"I don't know." Terra said. "I trust him, though, whether he tells me the overall plan or not. Master Fortunato, your support would mean the world, if something were to go wrong. There is balance now, but if the scales were to tip..."

Luxord nodded. "You make a good point, and it's certainly a bad gamble to throw my lot in with the Seekers." He offered his hand over the small coffee table. "I will play your brother's game, Terra Nihil. If all is as it seems, and he intends to go against the Seekers, I want to be there for the endgame. Ante up!"

xXx

Terra declined several offers to play cards on the way out; apparently since Luxord approved of him, it was as good as being a Gambler himself. But he hurried back to Second Circle to tell his brother what had happened, and to make another request.

"Master Fortunato extends his greetings and says he's eager to hear what you're planning. I told him you weren't necessarily planning anything, but he just laughed." Terra relayed, smiling.

Xemnas nodded. "Quite right." he said, though as usual, Terra couldn't tell which part he was agreeing with; Terra for suggesting that there was no plan, or Luxord for laughing at that.

"There is another point that he brought up..." Terra continued. "He said that the more you do, the more of a target this place is. I heard from Vincent earlier about what happened with Frollo. So the size of the target just increased, I think. I want you to give me all of your employees' cell phone numbers. If the Seekers get it in their minds to target them individually, I can warn them ahead of time."

"That seems like a good idea." Xemnas agreed. "But you must keep those numbers secret. I will not see anything happen to my employees because of your carelessness."

"Right."

xXx

At twelve-thirty that night, half an hour before closing, Lexaeus grabbed Axel as the redhead was about to go into Oblivion. "I need a favor."

"What?" Lexaeus didn't usually ask for favors. When he did, therefore, it was usually important.

"Zexion informed me earlier that he was going to Dark Beach to think." Lexaeus explained. "I want you to go get him, because I know that if we just leave him, he'll sit there all night. I'd go myself, but I have to watch the door." There was a burst of drunken singing from inside the bar, and Axel nodded in agreement, re-evaluating his decision to go in there.

"No problem, Lex. I'll go bring him home." He patted Lexaeus on the shoulder and hurried to grab Roxas, who was entertaining a few of their female guests. "Roxas, I'm going out to the beach to retrieve Zexion. I'm pretty sure I'll be back in time to walk you home."

"Okay." Roxas said brightly. Axel glanced at the group of girls still standing there, and leaned down to kiss his boyfriend. _Mine._

Roxas spluttered indignantly, but laughed as Axel waved and headed for the exit.

xXx

Zexion was sitting on Dark Beach, staring out at the inky water and thinking. Silver moonlight caused the black sand, the beach's namesake, to glitter almost magically. There was a single boat out beyond the rock formations, but other than that the area was deserted.

What was it that Chess had said? "Once you believe, a lie and the truth are the same thing?" Zexion wondered if that was what happened to actors. If you played a character for long enough, where did the character end and you begin?

_Do you know the name, 'Z-?_

_ Innes Fachu!_

_ "Ignes", son, with a "G". Ignes fatui..._

His father had liked riddles. And the Latin language. Zexion had at least one Latin phrase permanently embedded into his memory. Ignes fatui. Fool's fire and illusion.

Inevitably, his thoughts turned to that night. It was too much to consider, what might have happened to them if they hadn't ended up in Second Circle.

_Come on, N-, run!_

Ansem Wisen had been their father in place of everything else. And the rest of them, they were family too. That was what Zexion had been denying all those years. He didn't want another family, because he didn't want to _lose_ another family. It had taken Demyx; sweet, wonderful, trusting Demyx, to get him to see how stupid he was being.

_I love you._

His thoughts were interrupted as another person came up and sat down beside him on the sand. Axel reached out, sifting a handful through his long fingers, and said quietly, "Lexaeus sent me. He was worried you weren't coming back tonight."

Zexion smiled. "He worries. I sat on the roof all night once. I just forgot to go back inside. So his fears are well-grounded."

Axel chuckled. "Penny for your thoughts, Zex?"

"I was thinking about my parents." Zexion shifted to face him. "My father liked riddles and brain-teasers. And Latin. His favorite rhyme had a Latin answer." He closed his eyes, and began to recite:

_See the lights, the patient lights, fool's fire to lead you astray.  
When dark descends and they're glowing dim, to make you lose your way.  
So speak their name, their claim to fame, in a language long-since dead.  
Use your might to defy the lights and find your way home instead._

Axel frowned. "I have absolutely no idea."

"The answer is "ignes fatui", Latin for "fool's fire"." Zexion explained. "The key clues are the phrase "fool's fire" in the rhyme, and the mention of a dead language, Latin." He smiled faintly. "My father told me to always remember that rhyme, and I have never forgotten."

"My brother likes those silly metal puzzles, with the pieces you have to get apart?" Axel said, chuckling. "He's in the Turks, and he says he has to have something to do when they're sitting around staking something out or whatever." Seeing Zexion's questioning glance, knowing he didn't usually mention his family, he elaborated, "After my parents kicked me out, they took my little sister and moved to Radiant Garden. My brother stayed because of his job. I see him occasionally when he's not busy." He pushed himself to his feet, offering Zexion a hand up. "Come on, let's go back."

Zexion nodded. "Lexaeus and Roxas will be fretting, I'm sure." Together they headed back to the train station that would take them back into the city. It was only a ten-minute ride or so, which would let them get back in plenty of time. There was nothing to worry about.

xXx

Sora was walking the shortcut through the alleys that Roxas had taught him and Ven, heading for Second Circle. He'd been meaning to ask Roxas something for a while, and tonight it was bothering him to the point of not being able to sleep. Leon was going to kill him for sneaking out, but he needed answers.

He was almost there when someone put a hand on his shoulder. He yelped, whirling around, and came face to face with a tall man with an eyepatch and a nasty-looking scar down one side of his face.

"You're... Xigbar, right?" he asked. "Roxas and Axel's friend."

"Yeah. And you're Sora." Xigbar said, grinning. "What are you doing out so late? Won't your parents be worried?"

"I snuck out. Leon doesn't know. I came to talk to Roxas. Hopefully he hasn't gone home yet."

Xigbar's one visible eye flashed, and he smirked, wrapping his arm around Sora's shoulders and steering him down a different alley.

"C'mere, kiddo. What's say you and I have a little chat...?"

* * *

As promised, Luxord! There's a lot of pieces to this chapter... And I'm just going to take this moment to say: Riku, you're a moron. But then again, it's no different from how things went down in KH1, so... whatever.

And the evil cliffhanger. Mwahahaha...!

I'm leaving for OTAKON tomorrow! Finally I get to use all the cosplay weapons I spent so much time making! And my new, shiny, MINE, laptop came! All we have to do is set it up! I think I'll get a deviantArt account and put up pictures from OTAKON! This is like the best week ever!

Love, hugs, and plushies for all!  
Li

Reader Quest: Who are Axel's siblings? They aren't Disney! Who haven't you seen yet...?  
Song List: "Hotel Music Box" from Silent Hill 2, "The Scarlet Halls of Night" by OC Remix, and "See Who I Am" by Within Temptation

I think the questions are legitimately getting harder! And the songs are having more to do with what's happening...


	18. Answers Plus X

**Answers Plus X**

Sora followed Xigbar around a corner, wondering what Roxas's friend could possibly want to talk to him about. He didn't know the man well at all, and this was triggering the faintest of reactions from Sora's 'danger' senses. When they stopped walking, Xigbar turned to face him, leaning up against the rough brick of one of the surrounding buildings.

"So, Sora… Tell me about your family." the mercenary drawled.

Sora frowned, unconsciously taking a single step back. "…I really should go find Roxas." He was starting to feel uncomfortable, realizing that there was very little he actually knew about Xigbar. And this whole situation, with the dark alley, at one in the morning, was creeping him out.

Xigbar sighed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small handgun. "Look, kiddo, I'm not going to hurt you unless I have to. Don't try to run from me, don't scream for help, and this'll turn out fine." He neglected to mention the possibility of Sora being killed anyway, but that wouldn't help. "Just answer a few questions for me. Please."

"I… I just…" Sora's eyes stayed locked on the gun, his voice wavering uncertainly. Had he done something? Offended someone? He'd run into a guy in the street by accident that morning and made him drop his bacon-and-egg biscuit. Had he been a gang member? Was he out for revenge?

Oblivious to Sora's inner panic, Xigbar smiled. "Now, about your family… Your parents died ten years ago, right? Tell me about it."

"There was a car wreck…" Sora said, mentally breathing a sigh of relief that this wasn't about that guy's breakfast. "I wasn't in the car. They were coming back from dinner out." He remembered the night, because he'd hated his babysitter. She kept trying to keep him from playing with the decorative keys his mother had in a drawer in the living room, which his mother let him do all the time. "The police told us that they ran off the road, into a tree. The brakes failed, and they couldn't stop. I was sent to live with my grandfather on Destiny Islands, and Leon was a family friend. He adopted me after Grandfather died…"

Xigbar raised his one visible eyebrow. "So before you were Sora Leonhart, you had a different last name. What was it?" He was so close to the answer, he could feel it. This might be it; the solution he'd been searching for, for ten long years. If it was, it was a shame for Sora, but that meant this job was finally over!

Sora hesitated. "Why do you care? I don't understand why you want to know about me…"

"I just do." Short, to the point. Come on, the answer was there!

Scuffing his worn yellow tennis shoes against the pavement, Sora said, "Hikari. My last name was Hikari, before. Are you happy, now?"

Xigbar looked like he'd been hit in the face by something large and solid. "You aren't lying to me, are you kiddo? You don't know who I am, right?" He waved the gun threateningly. "You wouldn't lie just to save your own skin?"

Sora, frightened, took another step back. "I don't know who you are! Just that you're nuts!" He heard a familiar voice from around the corner, and before he could catch himself, yelled, "Roxas!"

Xigbar cursed, and both of them heard the sound of footsteps. Roxas hurried around the corner, rolling his eyes when he saw Sora. "I thought I heard your voice. What are you doing here at one in the…" He trailed off as he saw Xigbar, glancing at the gun in the older man's hand before saying coldly, "What's going on?"

Xigbar smiled, attempting to look reassuring but only looking tense and strained. "Me 'n' Sora were just having a friendly talk…"

Roxas stepped in front of his cousin, frowning. "Sora's father and my mother were siblings. My mother's maiden name was Hikari. _Get the hell away._" Roxas's spitfire personality wasn't always obvious, but if someone was threatening people he cared about, it came to the front easily. He glared down the sniper, daring the older man to challenge him.

Xigbar seemed to crumple. "It's not him… I was so close, and it's not him…" He didn't say anything else to the two cousins, instead turning and leaving, slumped over in the perfect picture of depression. Sora glanced at Roxas, smiling with relief. "Thanks for the save. What are you doing here, anyway? Isn't the club closed?"

"I was waiting for Axel. He had to be somewhere, but was coming back to walk me home. I was getting ready to leave, since Cloud's going to flip if I'm any later, but I think he'd also have flipped if I'd let Xigbar murder you!" The blond dancer made a face, before asking, "So wait, why are _you_ out here?"

Sora glanced at where Xigbar had disappeared. "I couldn't sleep. I know that there's something going on… What happened tonight only confirmed it. And Ven might be too nice to ask, but I'm not."

Roxas sighed. "Come on. Let's walk home, and I'll tell you what I know."

xXx

Friday dawned with Vexen, who had come in to Second Circle early to check on a shipment of vodka that was supposed to be coming in. He let himself into the kitchen through the side door, and tilted his head. There was a song playing that he had never heard before. Vexen had been with the nightclub since the beginning, and was pretty sure he had heard every song in the music booth at least fifty times. But this was something new.

_It's time to try defying gravity… I think I'll try defying gravity…_

He picked through Oblivion, careful not to knock into the chairs, since there were no lights on. Stepping through into the main room, his eyes widened. There was a long length of fabric hanging down from somewhere above the stage, and wrapped up in this piece of fabric was Zexion, at least ten feet from the stage. The panel in the stage floor had been removed to leave the crash mat open. As Vexen watched, he realized that it was actually two strips of fabric. Both were wound around the silveret's waist, suspending him horizontally in the air as he held on with one hand.

Zexion's blue eyes locked with his, and he flashed Vexen an upside-down smile. He let go of the bit of fabric he was holding, spinning towards the stage as he unrolled, like some sort of giant human yo-yo. But instead of stopping at the bottom, he came loose from the fabric and hit the crash mat with an audible 'oof'. "Damn. Still haven't worked out the stopping part…"

"What is that?" Vexen asked. "It doesn't look very safe…"

"Oh, it's fine." Zexion replied. "It's aerial silk. I was on the computer, looking up ideas for circus pole routines, and ran into this instead." He clambered off the crash mat to sit on the stage, glancing up at the fabric. "I got Lexaeus to pull on it last night before he left, for me. It's not going to come down until we untie it. Watch." He got back up, pushing off of the floor as he climbed so that he was swinging in a lazy circle. He wrapped both silks around his feet, only holding on with one hand as he drifted around the circle. "Isn't this amazing? It's like flying." He considered for a moment. "I must cure Demyx of his fear of heights…"

"It's certainly different." Vexen acknowledged. "Have you talked to Xemnas yet?" Any new acts had to be cleared with their boss first, especially something like this, that was clearly dangerous and for special occasions.

"I wanted to see if I could get a basic routine done first. I don't see why he'd say no."

Vexen nodded, then abruptly groaned as he caught sight of the clock. "I'm late!"

"Late where?"

"I was meeting Larxene and Marluxia for lunch." The blond man glanced up at Zexion, who was now twisted in such a way that he was able to sit on the silk and look down at Vexen, holding on with both hands. "Good luck with the aerial silk."

"Say hello to Marlu and Larxene for me." Zexion replied, letting go with one hand and waving. Vexen nodded and waved in return, before hurrying out of the club.

When he arrived at the diner in Alley to Between, Marluxia and Larxene were already there, Larxene drinking some kind of soda and Marluxia sipping water. Both smiled in greeting as Vexen walked briskly over to sit down.

"We got you iced tea with lemon, the way you like it." Marluxia said, pointing at the third glass on the table. "What kept you?"

"Zexion has a new performance idea. I was talking to him about it."

Marluxia's eyes glinted. "Sounds like fun. What is it?"

"Aerial silk. I'll explain later." It did seem like the sort of routine Marluxia would enjoy. Unless Zexion intended to keep this skill to himself, like Axel did with his pyrotechnics.

xXx

Lunch went by quickly, although Larxene kept glancing at the door every time it opened. Vexen finally asked cautiously, "You seem paranoid, Larxene. What's wrong?"

Larxene sighed, setting down her triple cheeseburger and wiping her fingers off. "It's the Seekers, really. Bastards have been getting even bolder lately than they already were. It's worrisome." She frowned. "Another gang was trying to form around here. Just a small one. Teenage boys, mostly. The Seekers murdered the leader. I haven't seen the others since then." She shook her head. "They clearly don't want any competition."

"Things just keep getting worse and worse." Marluxia murmured, absently stirring the few ice cubes left in his glass of water. He picked at his salad, clearly distressed. "It's going to get to the point where nothing is safe anymore. And no one is trying to stop it, either."

"There was one other thing I heard." Larxene said. "Someone, looked like one of the high-ups, was talking to some of the others outside of the tattoo parlor. There was one name he repeated a bunch. 'Corazza'. Sounded like someone they were looking for."

"Wasn't Corazza the surname of one of the powerful families?" Vexen asked. "Mr. Corazza was an extremely wealthy businessman with great influence in the underground. As I understand it, he was a strong supporter of the Angels, and provided funds to the Court of Existence."

"I can see why they'd want to off a survivor, then. That kid would have a lot of inheritance to claim." Larxene said. She scowled. "Those bastards are trying to hunt down and kill a child. And the sad thing it, I can believe it!"

"All we can do for now is watch and wait." Vexen said. "I, for one, know that Xemnas places some faith in the Angels, and in that case, I am willing to as well."

"Even so." Marluxia sighed. "Whoever the Seekers are searching for, he'd best watch himself."

xXx

Dennis Sachet was completely and utterly lost.

He was certain that he'd been going the right way, but had no idea where he was. Afriel had sent him on a courier mission to deliver a package to an Angel who was working in Naught's Skyway. Apparently he had taken a wrong turn on the way back.

He turned down another alley, and noticed a familiar shock of blond hair up ahead. He knew that hair! It was… Roxas! That was his name. He worked in the same nightclub as Riku. Hurrying to catch up, he called quickly, "Roxas!"

The boy turned around, frowning. "Sorry, wrong one. I'm his twin, Ven. Who're you?"

Dennis seemed to deflate unhappily. "I'm Dennis. I got turned around trying to get back home. I live in the Memory's Skyscraper district."

Ven smiled. "I can show you. I'm on my way home from the hardware store." He held up a plastic bag emblazoned with the "Moogle's Odds'n'Ends" logo. "A bracket and screws. Cloud's finally putting up a porch light, so Roxas stops falling up the stairs when he gets home at night." As the two started walking, he glanced sideways at Dennis, noticing the pin he was wearing for the first time. It was a pair of silver wings, pinned to the baseball hat he was wearing. "So, you're an Angel?"

Dennis nodded. "Yeah. I was on a mission." He sighed. "At least I got lost on the way back. I'm so hopeless at this!"

There was a laugh from a nearby alley, where a teenager in a black jacket was leaning on the side of one of the buildings. "So a hopeless, grounded Angel? Perfect."

Ven's eyes widened. He took a step forward, peering at the stranger, and said slowly, "Sora…?"

The stranger turned away, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jacket and kicking at an empty soda can on the ground. The jacket had a design in red on the back, like a splintered heart. "Really, Ven? Has it been too long for you to remember me? I forgive you. After all, it's only been five years since we've seen each other." He turned to face Ven, golden eyes flashing. "Unfortunately for this reunion, it would be best if you left now. I wouldn't want you involved."

"Involved in what?" Ven asked. "Vanitas." It had been five years since the boy he'd grown up with had left. Aqua had told him it was for the best. She'd said that there was something dark in Vanitas, and that Ven was better off without the raven-haired boy. And now, looking at him and the Seeker insignia on his jacket, Ven was certain she was right.

"None of yehr business, boy!" Another voice snapped, coming from behind Vanitas. It was a man in a red hat with a large plume, and Dennis whispered his name. Hook, Seeker of Riches. Anyone who looked at the pale teenager could tell that he was scared out of his wits, staring down both the Seeker of Riches _and_ Completion.

"What are you planning?" Ven demanded, seeing how frightened Dennis seemed. He hadn't thought that the other could get any paler, being practically albino already, but he had been wrong.

"We want the Angel to send a message for us." Vanitas said. "It won't be difficult." He stared at Ven with something like annoyance, the barest flicker of worry in his eyes. "It does not concern you. Leave, Ven."

"Please…!" Dennis said, glancing sideways at Ven. "Afriel told me… He told me to be careful, because the Seekers have been killing people! They've been murdering Angels!" He shook his head furiously. "They murdered the leader of a small gang that was trying to form…!"

"Pan deserved it." Hook growled. "He and his so-called "Lost Boys" would have only been a thorn in our sides in the future." He drew his sword, an extremely sharp-looking cutlass, and took a step towards the two boys. "If he'll not leave, Completion, we'll 'ave to kill him too."

Vanitas frowned, but pulled a knife from one of his jacket pockets. A blue crystal eye glinted where the blade met the hilt. "It seems we have no choice."

Ven took a step back, tossing aside the plastic bag but keeping the steel bracket. It wasn't a very good weapon, but under the circumstances it would have to do. He mumbled to Dennis, "Please tell me you have a weapon of some sort."

"Afriel was teaching me to use brass knuckles, but all I have on me is a stiletto." Dennis muttered back. He fumbled with his sleeve, retrieving the thin knife. "Something tells me this won't help us much."

xXx

They tried.

Ven blocked another swipe of Hook's sword with a clang that jarred his hands, but he refused to drop the bracket. If he gave up now, he was dead. Both of them were dead.

Hook shouted in pain as Dennis darted behind him, stabbing him in the shoulder with his stiletto. The wannabe-pirate turned on him, leaving Ven with a precious few seconds to catch his breath. He shut his eyes for half a second, trying to collect himself, and when he opened them, Vanitas was standing a foot in front of him, smiling.

Ven resisted the urge to recoil back, instead snapping at his former best friend, "What happened to you, Vanitas? You… You weren't like this when we were children!"

Vanitas laughed. It was a chilling sound. "Ven, I've always been like this. You're just too blinded by your need to always see the good in people." He raised his knife. "So what if you can see this side of me now? It's not like you can change me back to what you perceived I was. This is my true self!"

Ven shifted to block the strike, but knew he wasn't going to make it.

_Too slow!_

He's resigned himself to the fact that he screwed up when an extremely tall, muscular young man slammed into Vanitas from the side, the weapon he wore strapped to his lower arm producing an electric shock when it connected with the black-haired teenager. Ven stared with wide eyes as the silver-haired man stood tall, a second, shorter one racing to get between Dennis and Hook.

"G-Gabriel! Afriel!" Dennis stammered. "I…!"

"Get out of here, Elijah, and take your friend with you." Loz said, readying his weapon again as Vanitas struggled back to his feet.

"But…"

"The Angel of Youth gave you an order!" Kadaj said sharply, his double-bladed Souba held in reverse-grip before him. "The point of this is for you not to get killed!" At his superior's words, Dennis seemed to snap out of whatever mode he'd been in, motioning to Ven. The two ran for it, certain that the more experienced Angels could handle things, even if one was younger than both of them.

Once they reached somewhere safe, they sat down to wait, to see if either Angel would come to explain what had just happened. Their patience was rewarded eventually, as Kadaj appeared from around a corner, the "Moogle's Odds'n'Ends" bag held in one hand.

"Was this yours?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow in Ven's direction. Ven took it gratefully, returning the very nicked and battered bracket to its proper place. Hopefully Cloud wouldn't ask. Kadaj leaned against the railing of the stairs they were sitting on. "Afriel has gone to report to Phiros. Word needs to be passed to the rest of the Angels that the Seekers are in the mood for murder."

"I don't understand." Ven said. "Why would they just attack us out of the blue like that?"

Kadaj and Dennis were quiet. Kadaj finally sighed, staring up at the slightly hazy sky. "The Seekers' leader, Xehanort, is a power-hungry bastard. He wants to control this city absolutely, and at the moment, the Angels are the thing standing in his way. He thinks that if he can obliterate the Angels, and destroy or ally with the Gamblers, he'll win. And the sad part…" You could hear the resentment in his voice as he spoke the next words, "…is that he's _right_. If the Angels fall, the police and the Turks will crumble. He'll have the city. It's not like they can even do anything to stop him now. If we're gone, that's the end."

"The only other thing is that kid." Dennis said miserably. "The one everyone's looking for."

"He would be a rallying point." Kadaj explained. "Living, breathing proof that the Seekers are not absolute. Even the police might be willing to stand up and fight, with that knowledge." Fixing and uncharacteristically serious gaze on Ven, he said quietly, "You should be careful, from now on. They will assume that you know us."

"Thank you for saving us." Ven said, standing up. Cloud would start to wonder where he was eventually. "I owe you my life."

"Don't mention it. We weren't going to let a fellow Angel, or his friend, die." Kadaj offered his hand, and Ven took it, accepting the handshake. "Remember, be careful."

"I will." the younger Strife twin set out for home, hardware store bag in hand, with a lot more to think about. Today had been… intense. And from the sound of it, it wasn't over yet.

xXx

Xehanort Escuridao sat before the computer in the Garden of Assemblage, contemplating the password screen. His own password for the level one security, "Another", had given him nothing but information that he already knew. The computer was like a database, with information on the different gangs and families. Members, strengths, ambitions… It was all there. But that did not help the Seeker of Darkness. And the password for the door, which was the higher of the two security locks, was something that his father had not seen fit to pass down to him, leaving whatever was behind the door out of reach forever.

Weapons. There were weapons behind that door. A pact had been made between the gangs, when Xehanort was only a child, that the most powerful weapon or object each gang possessed was to be sealed away in the Garden of Assemblage. Each gang or family had a different password that could be used, but not knowing any of them, Xehanort was out of luck.

However, there was one thing that he had figured out over the years, and that was another of the level one passwords. He reached for the keyboard, fingers smoothly typing a single word: "Illusion".

The Corazza files came up before him, everything he could have ever wanted to know. He scanned the information quickly, looking for some sort of clue as to where the boy might be hiding. But, instead of that, he found something of even more interest.

"You never told us that you had another child…" It was an excellent clue to work with. It narrowed down their search, at the least. Xehanort grinned wickedly. They were one step closer to successfully finding the Corazza… siblings. Things were going perfectly.

* * *

Got it now? That's it, then. I mean, everything is pretty much there. XD

I'm back from Otakon, and I officially have a deviantArt! Pics from Otakon are up, as well as the floor plans of Second Circle. There'll be more art eventually, but that's what I have for now. Otakon was a BLAST! Not to mention, this is the first chapter posted from my brand new laptop! YAY!

...Also thought I'd comment on my love of aerial silk. Cirque du Soliel is a wonderful thing...

As always, enjoy! Next chapter will be a bit lighter; it's Roxas's birthday, which means FUN! And also possibly the opportunity for another bonus chapter...

Li

Reader Quest: What is the significance of the password "Another"?  
Song List: "The 13th Anthology" from Kingdom Hearts, "Defying Gravity" from Wicked (I was listening to the Glee version), and "Animal I Have Become" by Three Days Grace


	19. Eighteen

**Eighteen**

One week later, Thursday morning was practically humming with excitement. All of the employees had arrived at the nightclub at least an hour before opening. Roxas had the afternoon off, but they wanted to make sure everything was perfect. They weren't opening for night shift today, because today was Roxas's eighteenth birthday, and they were going to throw him a surprise party he would not believe.

Vexen was in the kitchen, making sure that the freezer was well stocked with both sea-salt ice cream and ordinary vanilla, to have with cake. Marluxia had the afternoon off as well, and was currently back at the apartment he shared with the bartender, putting the finishing touches on a magnificent, multi-layer cake. Axel was pacing back and forth on the currently-empty dance floor, waving a sheet of paper about and fretting as Lexaeus attempted to calm him. Xemnas, as usual, was in his office, but Saïx was double-checking the guest list with Xaldin to make sure that they hadn't forgotten anyone. Xion and Riku were in the back room, taking inventory of streamers, crepe paper, and balloons. There was a brief moment of panic when they couldn't find the helium tank, but Xion unearthed it from beneath a pile of tablecloths for Oblivion and life went on with one less crisis.

Zexion was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the stage, one hand propping up his head and the other holding the sheet of paper he was reading off of. He'd practiced the keyboard part enough in the past week to know it perfectly, so he wasn't worried.

Demyx came over and sat down beside him, leaning on the dancer's shoulder to see what he was reading. "What's that, Zex?"

"Music for tonight. Axel asked if I would help. For Roxas, whatever he asks." Zexion replied, tilting his head to kiss his boyfriend on the top of his head. "It doesn't seem very difficult. I am impressed at your writing abilities, though."

"That reminds me." the blond musician said suddenly. "I wrote a new piece, and it's a duet, for guitar and keyboard. I was wondering if you wanted to try playing it with me…"

"We could do it tonight, at Roxas's party." Zexion suggested. "Axel was complaining about how we didn't have enough live music…" He caught sight of the incredulous look on Demyx's face and raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to?"

"It's just… it's a really difficult part. I didn't know if…"

The dancer sighed, smiling. "Demyx, I told you a while ago that I could play piano. I didn't mean "Fur Elise" and "Rondo alla Turca". I meant everything." He got up, letting Demyx follow him as he walked stage right, to the wings where most of the musical instruments were kept. Sitting down behind the keyboard, he flicked it on and began to play.

Everyone within earshot paid no mind to the sound; it was a familiar tune to them. In their eyes, its main meaning stood as _Zexion's showing off again._ Demyx, on the other hand, was gaping in amazement. Zexion was playing Rachmaninov, and very complicated Rachmaninov at that, from memory. He stood by quietly until the piece was completed, and said in a small voice, "Okay. Let's do the duet tonight."

Zexion laughed, getting up and cracking his knuckles. "You didn't believe me."

"Yes, I did."

"No, or you wouldn't be so shocked!"

"You're wrong!" But the dancer was laughing again, and Demyx leaned over and kissed him, just to get him to stop. Elsewhere in the nightclub, those within earshot were snickering as well, though not loudly enough to incur the blond musician's wrath.

Zexion eventually pulled away, turning and walking back to the middle of the stage. "We really don't want to do it tonight. We wouldn't want to compete with Axel's triumph, after all." He glanced out over the club. "Axel!" he called loudly. "Lexaeus!" When he was certain he had both of their attention, he said brightly, "Axel, you're the one who wanted to do this. How else will it get done if we don't practice at least one last time?"

Axel swallowed hard, looking vaguely ill, but headed for the stairs that led onstage anyway. There were still fifteen minutes before the club opened. They had time for one last run. It wasn't like it would kill him…

xXx

Roxas's day was turning out rather poorly, all things considering.

One would think that turning eighteen would be the best day of a teenager's life. Living in a place like Deep Dive City negated the need for cars, so a driver's license was rather moot. Thirteen was an interesting number, meaning that one was actually considered a teenager, but in the end it mattered little. Eighteen was old enough to be considered an adult, and that was the important thing. He could get into clubs now, whenever he wanted. Second Circle was the only exception, because of Xemnas's rule about an extra year, but he worked there. He was free.

But today, on what should have been the happiest day of his life, he'd been completely screwed over. He'd taken the day off, intending to spend the whole day with his family. The twins had thrown separate birthday parties for years, and for Ven's, he'd wanted to go to a musical. It was supposedly a brilliant show, based on a book Ven had read, but only shown in the early afternoon. Cloud had promised that Ven's birthday treat would be first, and Roxas's would come later. But then, the dooming phone-call had happened.

Apparently Riku, Marluxia, and Zexion had taken sick with some sort of twenty-four hour virus, and they needed Roxas to come into work anyway for night shift. So Roxas did the only thing that he could do. He faked a smile to Cloud and Ven, and a cheerful voice to Saïx on the phone, and buried any idea that he might be upset beneath birthday wishes for his twin.

The show began at one-thirty, and Cloud had gotten amazing seats. Fifth row, right in the middle. Ven bounded down the aisle, finding their seats quickly and flopping down in excitement. Cloud had gone to get a program, leaving the twins to sit in silence.

It was Ven who finally looked over. They were twins, after all, and he could tell when something was bothering his brother. His smile faded some, and he asked quietly, "You… are okay, right, Roxas?"

"What?" Roxas blinked. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I mean, because of your work, and the musical being now…"

"Don't feel bad." Roxas said. "It's not your fault those idiots got sick. I'll have my birthday tomorrow; I'll insist on a whole day off. Xemnas can…" He bit back what he was about to say. He might be in a rebellious mood, but there were some things that you didn't mess with, and omniscient bosses were one of them.

Ven smiled, nudging his twin gently in the shoulder. "Thank you, Roxas. You're the best brother ever, you know?" He settled back in his seat, still grinning, and Roxas couldn't help but grin too. He was still upset at Xemnas and Riku and Marluxia and Zexion and the universe in general, but for now, he could be happy for his brother's birthday wish.

xXx

When they came out of the theater two hours later, Ven was thrilled with the show, but crushed that it was over. "The characters were so good! I couldn't believe how close to the book it was! And that song at the beginning…! The other one was good, but it was pure fanservice…"

Cloud nodded in Ven's direction as the other continued to gush, instead focusing his attention on the older twin. "Roxas?"

Roxas glanced at him, shaken out of whatever he was thinking. "What?"

Cloud smiled. "Your birthday will turn out fine. I promise."

For some reason, no matter how simple a promise it actually was, it made Roxas feel better. "Thanks, Cloud. I… I know."

By the time they'd reached home, it was four o'clock. Roxas didn't have to leave for work anytime soon, to be there by seven. He stayed with his family and enjoyed Ven's birthday pie instead. For some reason, Ven always insisted on pie for his birthday, seemingly just to be contrary. This year he had key lime, and as always, it was delicious.

"I smell pie!"

All three Strife siblings looked up in surprise as Axel wandered into the kitchen. Noting their incredulous looks, he grinned crookedly. "The door was unlocked." He wandered over to the table, walking right past Roxas to ruffle Ven's hair. "Happy birthday, kiddo."

Ven swatted at him. "Leave my hair alone! Go bug Roxas instead!" But he was smiling, and the smile only widened when he saw that Roxas was laughing too.

Axel's eyes widened, comically surprised, and he turned on the older twin. "That's right! I was not sent here for pies and birthdays! I was sent to retrieve Roxas!" He looped an arm around the blond, leaning over to press a kiss to his temple. "Xemnas apologizes for making you come into work, but there's nothing else we can do. May I take you out to do something fun before work?"

Roxas glanced at Cloud, who nodded. "Make sure you watch your time, is all. You wouldn't want to be late." Roxas nodded eagerly and dashed off to his room to collect his discarded shoes and other essentials. As soon as his younger brother was out of earshot, Cloud asked Axel, "Is everything ready?"

"Of course." Axel replied confidently. "You'll have about twenty minutes after I get him out of here. Aqua will let you in; the front doors are going to be locked."

"Got it." Cloud fell silent again as Roxas returned, and the blond looked between his brother and his boyfriend, rolling his eyes.

"Jeeze, guys. Are you still not cool with each other?" he sighed, reaching out to grab Axel's hand. "Come on, let's go."

Axel allowed himself to be pulled out the door, winking at Cloud and Ven when Roxas couldn't see. Cool with each other? If only Roxas knew…

xXx

"Axel, where are we going?"

Axel had led the younger boy by the hand, all the way out to one of the major roads that ran through Deep Dive City. Now, as they stood on the corner of the busy intersection, Axel reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of fabric. "Roxas, you trust me, right? So if I tell you that this is absolutely essential to what we're doing right now, you'll believe me, right?"

Roxas merely blinked at the blue bandanna in Axel's hand. "Isn't that Demyx's?"

"No! …Yes. That's not the point!" The redhead folded the bandanna into a long strip, gesturing to Roxas's face. "Come on, Rox. This'll be fun, I promise."

Roxas grumbled, but only for a moment. Axel wasn't the sort to lie to him, not really. He allowed his boyfriend to tie the fabric over his eyes, ignoring the strange looks that passers-by were giving the pair. Once it was in place, and Roxas was sufficiently blinded, he waited. "So, what's next? Or was this just to get me to stand on a corner blindfolded… AH?" He yelped as Axel suddenly scooped him up and started off down the street. He squirmed against the grip the taller man had on him, and Axel chuckled.

"Jeeze, Rox, do you want me to drop you? Come on, play along. This is just so that you can't tell where we're going."

Roxas fell still, and instead devoted his attention to his unfettered senses, trying to figure out where they were going. But Axel was right. The dancer never broke stride, and Roxas couldn't tell if they were turning corners or still heading straight. It was a long while before he was finally set on his feet again, and the sound of a door opening caught his attention. He felt Axel take his hand again, and was led into a building.

Wait a minute… he knew the sound of this floor…

Axel's mouth was right by his ear, a laugh in his voice as he said, "Happy birthday, Roxas." In one smooth motion, he pulled the blindfold off.

"SURPRISE!"

It took Roxas a second to take in the entire scene before him. He merely stared in wide-eyed surprise at all of his friends and family, gathered in Second Circle's main room. Ven and Sora waved, Cloud and Leon standing just behind them, smiling. Aqua was grinning from ear to ear. All three of the supposedly sick dancers were there as well. Roxas looked from Axel to Saïx and said quietly, "You tricked me…"

"Of course." Axel replied. "It wouldn't have been a surprise otherwise. Saïx was such a good sport, too, playing along and everything."

Roxas looked over at Cloud, recalling the promise his older brother had made, that his birthday would turn out fine. "And Cloud, you knew too."

The oldest Strife sibling nodded. "Guilty as charged."

Roxas looked around happily, his mood better than it had been since the phone call this morning. He looked around the room, seeing balloons everywhere, streamers and crepe paper dangling from the skywalks, all the colored lights and twinkle-effect lights were going… Obviously a lot of effort had been put into changing the nightclub into a proper party location. "Thank you…" he whispered, almost overwhelmed. He hadn't been part of the club nearly as long as the others, and yet they still… "Thank you so much…!"

Everyone seemed to want to hug Roxas and offer him birthday wishes. Aqua had swooped down on him, kissing his cheek and saying brightly, "Happy birthday, Roxas. Terra wanted to be here, he really did, but things came up…" In reality, the brunet man had thought it best to stay away, to protect his friends from suspicion.

Zexion, Marluxia, and Riku had laughed when Roxas tried to apologize to them. "Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong."

"I called you three a lot of unkind names in my head, this morning." Roxas explained. Marluxia ruffled his hair, informing him that since it was a trick anyway, there were no hard feelings. Axel came over and slung an arm around the boy's shoulder, grinning ear to ear.

"Come on, Rox. Let's go play Twister with Xion! Somehow, she talked Xemnas into playing…"

"That whole statement, coming from you, sounds wrong." Roxas looked up at the unfamiliar voice, seeing a man with hair the same shade as Axel's, but with shorter spikes, the rest of it bound behind his head in a ponytail. He, too, had tattoos around his eyes.

Axel grinned, releasing Roxas to give the stranger a hug before turning back to the blond. "This is my older brother, Reno. He's in the Turks."

"I figured I should meet Ax's boyfriend at least once." Reno said with a sly grin. Roxas frowned, and Axel was prepared to defend him before a girl with berry-colored hair jumped at him and latched her arms around his neck.

"Axel!"

Axel managed to pry her off enough to breathe, and said to Roxas, "This is my younger sister, Kairi. She's your age. She lives in Radiant Garden, but I guess she's visiting Reno."

"Axel, who is _he_?" Kairi asked, staring over Axel's shoulder at the brunet boy who had just entered her vision. Axel raised an eyebrow, turning to see where she was looking.

"Oh, that's Sora. Roxas's cousin."

"Sora…" Kairi turned and smiled kindly at Roxas, saying brightly, "It was nice to meet you!" before hurrying off in the direction that Sora had been going. Roxas, Axel, and Reno stared after her for a long moment before Axel shrugged, grabbing each of them by the arm and dragging them in the direction of the games.

xXx

Some time later, Zexion made his way up into the skywalks, hanging up a piñata shaped like a huge smiley face. Axel retrieved the abandoned bandanna from somewhere, and a wild attempt to shatter the thing followed. For some reason, the piñata's innocent-looking cardboard shell seemed stronger than steel. No matter how dented it got, or how hard they managed to hit it, it remained solid, candy insides intact. Finally, Roxas threw off the blindfold after his third attempt, and just went after the cursed smiley face with all of his strength. Even that wasn't enough, and disgusted, he handed the bat they were using off to Lexaeus and backed off.

The bouncer was easily the strongest one in the club, and all he succeeded in doing was ripping the piñata from its rope. Roxas stared at the fallen smiley for a few seconds, and then pointed at it dramatically, declaring, "Attack!" Within moments, most of the party-goers had pounced on the demon piñata, and after much shredding and tearing, Xaldin finally held it up triumphantly, candy spilling from the huge hole in the side. The crowd cheered.

After that, it was time for cake. Marluxia and Vexen carried the pinkette's creation from the kitchen, and Roxas stared in awe at the multi-layer chocolate cake. He'd never had a three-foot-tall cake before. And it was delicious. Marluxia had completely outdone himself.

Presents followed cake, as was the natural order. Roxas got so many awesome things. Demyx and Zexion had gotten him special dance shoes, since his feet were prone to blisters from the stage. Larxene and Naminé gave him a piece of artwork that he suspected they had done themselves, seeing both Naminé's softer influence and Larxene's bold tattoo-artist style.

There were two boxes wrapped in silver paper near the back of the pile, both rather small compared with some of the others. One was labeled with Ven's name, and he took it curiously. Inside was a small pin in the shape of a wing, and a note. _"A life for a life. You stayed to fight with him, and in return, we will fight with you, if you need us."_ There was no name, but Ven seemed to know who it was from. Roxas's silver box contained a knife, its blade perfectly transparent, with a hilt of smooth red wood. The note contained with his read "_Crystal sounds better, but is much more likely to shatter. Thus, a knife made of glass, that will bypass any traditional detector. Use it well."_ Roxas looked at Ven, who shrugged, and then at Riku, who only smiled. Roxas smiled in return, tucking the knife safely away. It was reassuring to know that Riku's brothers liked them almost as much as Riku himself.

There was also a large, bulky package labeled as being from Xigbar. Roxas almost decided not to open it, but reconsidered. He glanced at the note included with it, which said only, "_I know a guy. Happy Birthday, and please accept these as an apology?"_

He tore off the plain brown paper and was stunned. Sitting before him, perfectly forged out of real metal, were his keyblades, the ones he used for weapons exhibitions. He picked up the dark blade, Oblivion, and tested the balance. It was slightly heavier than the paper-maché ones that he had made himself, but still usable, and beautiful.

"I'll have to thank him…" Roxas whispered. He couldn't forgive the man threatening his cousin, not yet, but it truly was an incredible gift.

xXx

Finally, all the gifts were open, and the only person who hadn't given one was Axel. The pyro grinned, making his way over to the stage, where Lexaeus, Demyx, and Zexion were retrieving instruments. He grabbed the standing mike that was sitting center stage, grinning right at Roxas. "Dem-Dem didn't think that I had any potential as a songwriter, but I'd like to think that I successfully proved him wrong, even if I'm not a composer. For short, I call this one 'Alive'."

Roxas's eyes widened. Axel had written a song… for him?

"_Would you take my candlelight, if I offered…?_"

The first verse was quieter, with simple piano and guitar backing it. But when it reached the chorus, it sped up, taking on a more rock-sounding edge, and Axel winked at the blond boy who was staring completely entranced at the stage. "_I guess you could say I fell into your world… I guess you could say I was a gift from the skies… But you could also say that you rescued me… From the moment I stepped out of the fire; the moment I started drowning in your eyes…!_"

Roxas couldn't help but laugh. Even in song form, Axel managed to be a snark. 'Fell into his world' indeed… A not-so-subtle reference to the infamous 'Skywalk Incident', and all of the employees knew it.

"_We're alive, we're alive, with the glory of love, and I feel it burning deep in my heart and soul…!_" Despite all the agonizing he'd been doing over the past week, Axel was actually having fun up onstage. Seeing the look on Roxas's face, he knew that even if the song had sucked, the blond would still adore him for trying. "…_And I know that it's just you and me tonight… Alive with the glory of love! Alive with the glory of love! With the glory of love…_" As the song ended, Axel returned the mike to its stand and hopped down from the stage, opening his arms as Roxas threw himself at him.

"Best present ever…" Roxas murmured into his neck, smiling uncontrollably. Cloud had been right, he thought, as Axel's arms tightened around him. Today was turning out _great_.

xXx

The party went on for several more hours, and during that time the rest of the cake and every drop of coffee in the nightclub was consumed in an effort to stay awake. Eventually, people started trickling out, heading for home. Cloud and Ven packed up all of Roxas's gifts and prepared to leave as well, waving at their brother, who was going to spend the night at Axel's apartment. Riku, Xion, Demyx, and Zexion were the only ones left still attempting to straighten up, but eventually surrendered to how tired they were. Xemnas had agreed to close the nightclub tomorrow anyway. They could get it in the morning.

Roxas had finally finished thanking all of them when Axel swept him off his feet, just like he had at the beginning of this adventure. The redhead nuzzled his hair. "Come on, Rox." he said lightly, a laugh in his voice. Despite the three other males in the room, since Xion had gone to the kitchen to get something, he kissed his boyfriend deeply. "Let's go home."

"Uh-huh…" Roxas said. "You only use that tone of voice when you're up to something."

Axel grinned cattily. "It's your birthday, Roxas." he said simply. "You're legal now." And with that, he walked out of the room, a thoroughly embarrassed Roxas in his arms, leaving the others staring at him in astonishment. It was Zexion who spoke first, grinning slyly.

"I think we know what he has in mind."

Riku pressed his hand to his forehead, cringing slightly, while Demyx just laughed. "Ha ha, yeah. Leave it to Axel... He probably had that planned as much as the party."

Zexion smirked. "Of course." He wandered over, leaning up to kiss his own blond-headed boyfriend. "It's not a bad idea, certainly…"

Riku made a small, strangled noise. "Not while I'm here!" the silveret objected.

"Feel free to go home whenever." Zexion said, smirk still clearly present as he turned and headed for the back room, and the stairs, with Demyx trailing behind him, the musician clearly amused by how embarrassed the ex-Angel was. Almost as soon as they were out of sight, Xion returned from the kitchen, looking around in puzzlement.

"Where did everybody go?"

"Hey, Xion, are you tired?" Riku asked quickly.

She shook her head. "Not really… Too much coffee. Why?"

"Because staying here is probably not a good idea. Let's go get some ice cream." Both glanced up as a door slammed somewhere on the second floor, and Xion immediately nodded.

They wrote a note to explain her absence to Zexion, in case he decided to venture out of his room. As they walked down the street, Riku couldn't help but smile. Roxas's birthday had been a complete success. He squeezed Xion's hand lightly in his own, shivering slightly. It was a chilly night, and he'd left his jacket at Second Circle. But he definitely wasn't going back to get it now. It was enough to just be here, free to do as he pleased, with the promise of tomorrow being even better.

* * *

You can really tell what I've been doing lately to make this chapter late, just from reading the chapter. (sigh) Watching Ace of Cakes, listening to classical music on my iPod, and being absolutely obsessed with Kuroshitsuji. Oh, and songwriting. Yeah. Even though that was done about five chapters ago… For the record, I have been on the recieving end of such a demon pinata. It was shaped like the Death Star, and it took three parents to crack the damn thing open. Also, in terms of silly trivia, if you don't count the bonus chapter, this is chapter _eighteen_ of this story. You see what I did there? XD

So this is it. Possibly the last truly lighthearted chapter, until the ending at least. Maybe not even then. I guess it depends. Anyway, the last two details that I needed have been set up, even if you'll never guess what they are, so prepare yourselves. Next chapter contains the answers. All of them.

…I don't even know if I should apologize for how late this is… Does it only seem late to me?

Sorry!  
Li

Reader Quest: …There isn't one in my notes! Agh… Okay… uh… Guess which two details were the important ones? XD

Song List: Rachmaninov's "Opus 23, No. 5", "Guitar vs. Piano" by Goukisan (even though they never got around to actually playing it), "Yes, My Lord" and "Red or Black?" from the Kuroshitsuji musical (which is the play Ven wanted to go see XD), and "Alive" by me. I'll put the lyrics up on deviantArt or something if you guys want them. I think I have a recording of me singing lying around somewhere, but it probably sucks… Oi…


	20. No Sweeter Poison than Betrayal

**No Sweeter Poison than Betrayal**

This had happened once before. Zexion had awoken to face the morning with Demyx in his bed. However, this time he had no reason to be angry with the musician. Instead, he snuggled closer to his partner, still feeling fatigued despite sleeping for _most_ of the night. Coffee would be an absolute necessity when he finally mustered the willpower to get out of bed.

He'd heard Xion return late; two or three in the morning was his best estimate, as he had been close to sleep and too lazy to actually comprehend what the clock was telling him. At least she was safe. He assumed she'd been out with Riku, and that was fine.

At his side, Demyx stirred, the arm that he had draped over Zexion tightening possessively. The dancer nuzzled his head under the musicians chin for a moment, before pulling back to smile as sleepy ocean eyes looked back at him.

"…Morning." Demyx mumbled, kissing him on the forehead before sitting up and blinking sleep from his eyes. "Everyone has the day off today, right? We don't have to work?"

"Right." Zexion, too, sat up. "I need coffee. Now." He paused for a second, details working through his drowsy mind, and cursed. "Oh, hell. We drank the last of the coffee during the party last night, didn't we?"

Demyx grinned brightly, already seemingly fully awake. "That's okay. I'll go to the store and get some, you make breakfast. It'll be fine." He got up and started getting dressed, and Zexion tried and failed at not staring. Once the blond was presentable, he turned and grinned at Zexion. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes, okay?"

Zexion nodded, but didn't actually get out of bed until the blond was gone and halfway down the stairs. He located his clothes, dressing quickly and turning to head for the door, but paused as he caught sight of his reflection in the small mirror that hung above his dresser. He looked… well, the best word he could think of was _alive_, despite the obvious tiredness that still clung to his features, his messy hair, and his rumpled clothes. His lips tilted briefly upwards, before the expression shattered, and he clenched his fists tightly, letting his bangs fall over his eyes.

This was wrong. Demyx… Demyx deserved better than him. It had been eating at him since his trip to the Court, which he was nearly certain was what the Cheshire boy's intentions had been. Because plain and simple, he was a _lie_. A lie born of fear and pain and the desperate need to avoid both of those things in the future. Finally, now, knowing how much Demyx loved him, and knowing that it was only part of what he was… It had been put into perspective at last. He had no right to feel _alive_ after last night.

Because he hadn't known how much hearing Demyx call his name would hurt.

_"Once you believe, a lie and the truth are quite the same thing."_

What if he was finding it harder and harder to believe?

_"Nio, run!"_

Zexion scowled at his reflection, looking away from the mirror to go downstairs. Xion's door remained solidly shut, and he was positive that she wouldn't be up for a while, considering how late her night had been. Once in the kitchen, he stared blankly at the leftover dishes from the night before, shaking his head before heading to the cabinet to look for pancake mix. Demyx would be back soon, and he wanted to at least be in the process of making breakfast.

xXx

Oblivious to Zexion's inner turmoil, Demyx walked briskly down the street towards the convenience store on the corner, already knowing where the packages of instant coffee were. He could be back in fifteen minutes easily. There were a few other people on the sidewalks, but not enough to pose a delay. Until Demyx spotted a certain familiar face, sitting on the sidewalk outside the convenience store.

Xigbar was leaning on the building's brick wall, nursing a cup of black coffee in his scarred hands. He looked absolutely miserable, as if the entire world had turned against him in one moment.

"What's wrong?" Demyx asked, stopping to look at the mercenary.

Xigbar sighed. "I've hit a dead end with my job, and my employers are losing patience." he said dully. "I was told to find this kid, but I had no idea it would be so damn difficult. And my only lead turned out to be wrong."

Demyx sat down beside him. "Well, I mean, what do you know about them? Are there any clues that make this person unique?"

"Their parents died ten years ago." Xigbar explained. "'Corazza', that's the name that I was given. And apparently there's a sibling, too. My employer found some records that say there's two of them. But they've vanished off the face of the earth for ten years."

Demyx nodded. "Let me think about it for a few minutes." He got up, disappearing into the convenience store to purchase his package of instant coffee. When he returned, he said sadly, "I've got nothing. That could be anyone, if you can't find them by their last name."

"His first name is Ienzo." Xigbar said. "That's not a common name either. I can't believe I can't find them. Maybe the information is wrong. Maybe they are dead."

"Their story sounds like Sora's. His parents are dead. But he's an only child." Demyx mused. "Or Zexion and Xion, but their names don't match." The musician glanced at his watch. "Darn it! I promised him I'd be back by now! Bye, Xigbar!"

Xigbar watched the blond race away, his mind going a mile a minute. There were only so many people in this city with the right circumstances, and Sora had been eliminated from the pool. If only he had one last clue; clearly there was a piece missing…

Suddenly his one visible eye widened. Not a piece _missing_…

_One piece too many!_

The sniper grinned, downing the rest of his coffee in one gulp. There was one thing he needed to check, and he thought he'd have the answer.

xXx

When Demyx returned to Second Circle, Zexion wasn't in the kitchen. The musician was forced to follow his nose, finding Zexion sitting in the middle of the main floor, surrounded by the electric skillet, the electric kettle, and several extension cords. He was calmly finishing up scrambled eggs, which he easily forked over onto a plate to sit beside several pieces of bacon.

Demyx came over and sat down, listening to the music that his significant other had playing in the background. It sounded like some kind of musical. "I don't recognize this one." he admitted, accepting the plate Zexion handed him.

"It's a little obscure." Zexion replied with a small smile, transferring eggs to his own plate and turning on the electric kettle. In response to the unspoken question, he said wryly, "I live here, and it's closed today. If I want to make breakfast on the dance floor, that's my right, as long as I clean."

Demyx laughed, digging into his breakfast. A few minutes passed, silent except for the sound of eating and the coffee pot whistling. Eventually, Demyx said off-handedly, "I met Xigbar at the convenience store."

Zexion sat his plate down, taking a sip of his hard-earned coffee. "Really? What was he doing?"

"He was kind of upset." Demyx admitted. "His job has been to look for someone, and he was at a dead end." Not noticing how Zexion stiffened, he continued, "He was telling me all about this person. Their parents died ten years ago, they have a younger sibling… I think he said their last name was 'Corazza' or something. I told him that it sounded a lot like you and Xion, but your name wasn't right…"

He looked up at the sound of a sharp crash. Zexion's coffee mug had hit the floor and cracked, leaving a puddle of coffee and bits of ceramic everywhere. The dancer was on his feet, a few feet away, and white as a sheet.

"Oh, god…" he was whispering, horror drowning his features. "Oh, _Kingdom Hearts_, no, no, _NO_! They've found us…"

"Zexion…?" Demyx asked, climbing to his feet. He took a step towards the silveret, who flinched. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"_You told him where I am._" Zexion breathed, his eyes wide. "The Seekers can find me now; they'll put the clues together…"

"I don't understand!" Demyx cried, worried by how suddenly terrified his boyfriend looked. "What are you talking about?"

Zexion's eyes snapped up to lock with his, and he marched over to grab Demyx by the collar to yank his face close. "_I'm_ Ienzo Corazza! The Seekers murdered my family ten years ago. Everyone except for me and Xion. You've as good as killed us both."

Demyx gaped at him, the truth suddenly swamping him as every strange thing he had seen finally added up. "That's why…" That was why Zexion didn't trust anyone, why he was so fiercely protective of his past and his family, and why he'd worked so hard to push Demyx away. He was terrified of the Seekers finding him, learning of the life he had been living just out of their reach. "You…"

"I didn't know what my father did for a living." Zexion said, letting go of Demyx and looking away. "But he told me that if anything should ever happen to him or my mother, I was to take Xion and run. Find help somewhere. He had fake names for us, anagrams of our real names with an X added, knowing that he had enemies who would want to find us. My real name is Ienzo. Xion's is Niori, but really we just called her Nio all the time anyway, so her anagram came from that."

"So what happened?" Demyx asked. "Ten years ago, I mean. You said that your parents were murdered…"

"The Seekers… my father did something to displease them. To this day, I do not know what. But they came to our house, and they killed my parents." Zexion took a deep breath, shuddering. "They didn't realize Xi and I were there. I got her and we fled, looking for help like my parents had told me. But it was too late at night. Few places were open, and the pouring rain had driven nearly everyone inside. I had nearly given up, until fate was kind to us…"

"And you met the people here." Demyx finished softly. "Zex…"

"Xion doesn't know." Zexion said intently. "She doesn't remember any of this. She was too little, and it was too traumatizing. You cannot say anything to her, or anyone else, for that matter."

"I wouldn't!" The blond musician stepped forward to catch his partner in a hug. "Your secret is safe with me."

Zexion sighed in something like relief, relaxing into the hug. He had done it. He had told someone the truth about himself, and nothing had happened. Demyx still loved him, the _real_ him, not the lie that he had been maintaining for nearly his entire life. Gratefully, he turned around to return the embrace, not knowing what he had done to deserve someone like the musician, but certain that he wasn't going to let go.

xXx

In the back room, the door open just enough to see what was happening on the main floor, Riku Mercuriae clutched his jacket to his chest, stiff as a statue. He'd returned to the nightclub to retrieve the forgotten article of clothing, and had ended up hearing Zexion's explanation. It cleared up many things for him, but first and foremost was a single, triumphant thought.

_The fighting will stop!_

This was the kid, although it was hard to think of it like that when he and Zexion were the same age. But this was the answer that so many people had been looking for. Riku took one last look through the door, before heading in the opposite direction, towards the side door. Everything was falling into place!

xXx

After cleaning up the breakfast things, Demyx and Zexion had returned to the main room, where Zexion's playlist of songs from musicals was still on repeat. The song currently playing seemed to be a mix of many different parts and voices, an act-closer or a crowd song. Zexion took a few steps, spinning slowly on the ball of one foot.

"Do you know what I wish?" he asked absently. Demyx shook his head no, watching the silveret's light steps. "I wish that I didn't remember. I wish I was as lucky as Xion, to have just forgotten that I had another name once. It must be so much easier, not having to be afraid all the time. Not having to worry about people coming after you just because of what you were born as."

"No one will find out." Demyx said. "Not from me."

"I know." Zexion paused, one foot pointed in front of him. "But someday I'm going to do something that will tip someone off. I will act a bit too much like myself, and someone will notice." He sighed. "The Cheshire Cat in Court already knows. I don't know how; perhaps he recognized me from when I was little. I try to avoid the gangs for that reason. The Angel of Mercy also seems like she's guessed. I guess I haven't been as careful as I thought."

Demyx smiled. "Well, even if the Seekers do come for you, I'll keep you safe!" It was a boyish smile, the smile of a child determined to play the hero and defend his princess until the end. Zexion grinned, closing his eyes and beginning to sing along with part of the song playing in the background.

"_Please won't you change the way I am, or prove I'm human underneath… Or if you just don't give a damn, you could at least get rid of these!_" Zexion reached up to grip handfuls of his hair, and Demyx knew that he meant the memories, the painful memories of that night. He smiled as Zexion opened his eyes and spoke right to him for the next verse. "_If you want to prove them wrong, show me where I belong! Paranoia this strong kills all comfort and joy…_" His words were slightly different from the ones in the background, making them fit the situation at hand. "_If you make me complete, it will be quite a feat… Please don't let them destroy, all my comfort and joy…_" He reached up to touch Demyx's face, smiling.

"_Or next week you'll be gone, six feet under their lawn. They'll let nobody toy with their comfort and joy._" Demyx and Zexion both looked over in near-panic as Xigbar stepped into the room. Both whirled to face the mercenary, prepared for the worst. Xigbar grinned, "I love that musical."

"Of course you'd like something obscure and weird like that." Demyx retorted.

Zexion said tightly, "You're not allowed in here. The club is closed; you're not even allowed in the building."

"Well, I'm here to see you, Zex, and I didn't think you'd want a lot of people around. This was the best time I could think of." Xigbar said, still grinning. Zexion turned pale, and Demyx stepped in front of the slender dancer, shielding him with his body.

"I won't let you hurt him." he said, surprising himself with how calm he sounded. Xigbar could very easily shoot him too, but not even the thought of dying was going to make him move now. Behind him, he felt Zexion fist the back of his shirt, and could feel the younger's hand shaking against his back.

Xigbar sighed, waving his hands absently as if bored with the whole thing already. "Who said I wanted to hurt him? I just want to talk." He rolled his single, unpatched eye, raising an eyebrow in amusement at the remnants of balloons and party decorations still attached to the skywalks.

Zexion finally seemed to regain his nerve. He stepped out from behind Demyx, though still kept his grip on the musician's shirt, and said sharply, "Don't even try to play with us! You're the Seekers' assassin! You're here for Ienzo Corazza."

Again, Xigbar sighed. "Calm down, Zexion. You're surprising me. Usually you would be clever enough to notice that I don't have any weapons." Sure enough, the sniper's trademark purple handguns were absent, but that didn't make them any less nervous. He could have been concealing weapons inside his clothes somewhere. "All right, Zexion, you want the truth? I know about you and Xion. I know that you're Ienzo Corazza, and I know that Xi is Niori. Your parents were clever with the anagram thing, but everything adds up."

Zexion took several steps back, covering his face with his hands for a long moment. It was like the confluence of all of his nightmares, finally happening in reality as well. The silveret looked up at Xigbar through his long bangs and said quietly, "And your commission from the Seekers was to find us and kill us." Xigbar opened his mouth to reply, but Zexion interrupted forcefully, "I don't care! Do whatever you have to, to me, but leave Xion alone! She was too little to remember what happened, and she has no idea what it even means that we are Corazza. She doesn't remember _being _Niori Corazza. So please, leave Xion be. Xemnas will take care of her, I know." He ignored the absolutely horrified look on his boyfriend's face, though he felt bad. But his sister, who didn't deserve this… If he could save her, he would.

Xigbar came forward, shoving Demyx aside when the blond tried to stop him, and walked over to force Zexion to look up at him. "_I'm not going to kill you_, Zexion." He stared into ice-blue eyes that were wide with sudden fear despite his bravado, and continued, "When I was given this assignment, you were a little kid, and I had no idea who you were. I didn't like the idea at the time, but the Seekers were willing to pay more money than I had ever seen in one place before. And then I met you, still with no idea who you really were, and I got to know you. You and Xion. And no matter how much I know in my head that it's the truth, I can't see you as Ienzo and Niori Corazza. You will always be Zexion and Xion Ishida to me." He grinned. "If the Seekers want you, they can come for you themselves. I quit."

There was a moment of pure, shocked silence as the magnitude of what the sniper had said sunk in. Zexion could only stare at him, bright blue eyes wide with shock. He took a single, stumbling step backwards and began to laugh.

"Xigbar…!" The laughter continued for a moment, but then the silveret took a deep breath and said, "Thank you. I suppose I owe you my life."

"Don't worry about it." the mercenary said, as Demyx walked over to embrace the dancer. "Call it even for scaring poor Sora half to death the other night."

"Sora?"

"Little twerp was the only other person in the city who came close to fitting the description I was given. Of course, that was before I was told that Ienzo Corazza had a sibling… I cornered him and asked him all sorts of things. Roxas turned up to 'rescue' him, in case you hadn't noticed that Roxy has been pissed at me…"

Both club employees blinked, but were saved from replying by Xion's voice coming from the back room.

"Did I sleep through breakfast?" she asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

Zexion immediately broke away from the other two and went over to her. "Yes, you did, but I'll fix you something. I figured that you needed to sleep in after how late you were out." They disappeared into the back, presumably heading for the kitchen, and Demyx glanced warily at Xigbar.

"…How much of that did you mean?" he asked quietly.

The sniper frowned. "What are you asking, kiddo?"

"I mean, are you going to tell the Seekers? Tell anybody?" Demyx asked. Before Xigbar could reply, he said, "Because you could be lying. You could just be waiting for the right moment to hand him over to them. And I refuse to let anything else happen to him."

"If I wanted that, I'd have shot him when I walked in." Xigbar said bluntly. "I meant what I said, Dem-Dem. I quit."

Demyx smiled brilliantly. "Thanks, Xigbar." And with that, he hurried off after his boyfriend. Xigbar watched him go, smiling fondly for a moment before making his own way out of the nightclub. He had a job to officially give up on.

xXx

Maleficent Drake was not often surprised. She had seen too much in her time as a Seeker for things to shock her any more. But when the young Angel she had so easily snared in her trap returned to her, bearing stunning news, she could admit to herself that she was, indeed, surprised. She'd never expected Riku Mercuriae to actually be the first to offer up, not just information, but the absolute truth, straight from their target's mouth.

She'd fed Riku exactly what he'd needed to hear, promising swift action to cease the gang fights, which in truth were growing worse every day. Mostly because the Seekers were becoming more aggressive, striking down groups attempting to form, and hunting Angels wherever they could. But it was easy to bend Riku to her will with sweet promises, and after he had told her everything he knew, she sent him back to Second Circle, bidding him to tell no one what had happened, in case someone tried to ruin the "plan".

Once the young Angel had gone, Maleficent left the building as well, making her way through the Naught's Skyway district to the building where the Seeker of Darkness spent most of his time.

"Sir?" she questioned, tapping at the doorframe leading into the room he used as a pseudo-office. Xehanort looked up to regard her with cold golden eyes.

"What is it, Maleficent?" he asked sharply.

Maleficent bowed, before explaining the situation to her leader. Xehanort listened intently, a slow smile spreading across his face as he realized exactly what this meant. "We have him."

"Technically, sir, there is a small problem." the Seeker of Power replied. "There is the matter of the neutrality pact in effect over Second Circle." She stopped speaking as Xehanort glared at her.

"I made sure that the powerful families were wiped out ten years ago, and one little boy and girl got away. Do you really think that I will allow a pact protecting an insignificant _club_ stand in my way?" he growled, and Maleficent took a step back. Xehanort smirked, steepling his fingers, his expression alight with possibilities. "Soon, these two… they will realize that all of their fears are becoming reality. Maleficent."

"Yes, sir?"

"Retrieve Ben and Frollo, and bring them here. This will require planning." As Maleficent nodded and left to find the requested Seekers, Xehanort could only chuckle to himself. Soon, those two would be his!

xXx

Zexion and Demyx were fairly startled when most of the rest of the employees showed up at about four o'clock that afternoon. Demyx internally cursed whoever's fault it was, because it certainly negated any chance of spending the rest of the day upstairs.

"See, Xemnas sort of forgot to mention something. I guess he was too caught up in planning Roxas's party with us." Axel drawled. "In any case, time is short."

"What exactly is going on?" Zexion asked, nudging the redhead off of him when the other decided to invade his personal space.

"It's one of those weird year-round schools." Axel explained. "They're having like a 'summer prom', and Xemnas let them rent out Second Circle." He glanced around at all of the impassive faces, knowing that they were thinking it wasn't so bad a job. "By the way, prom is tomorrow, and we have to decorate for a renaissance-themed royal ball."

"You've got to be kidding." Riku groaned. "Please tell me we're closed tomorrow morning to have extra time."

Roxas, too, looked displeased. "That means the rest of us have to learn ballroom dancing, right?"

"It's not that hard, Roxas." Axel said flippantly. "Besides," and here he brightened, gesturing grandly with one hand, "if anything goes wrong, simply wave your hand and say 'Continue'. That always works for kings and stuff. It worked for Philippe, for a little while, at least."

Roxas just stared at him before shaking his head and walking away. Axel frowned, going after him, calling, "What? I like that movie!"

Everyone else exchanged glances, before moving to begin cleaning and decorating. They had a lot to do before a prom could happen, and only one night to do it. It would be close, but not impossible. In any case, a ball would be sort of fun. They didn't get to do formal dances much. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

What indeed? XD

And there you have it. Someone remind me not to have a scene so well-planned ever again. It's hard to write the chapter around it! Anyway, the next move belongs to the Seekers, who knows what they'll do with it? As always, feel free to guess... XD

Reader Quest: Easier and harder variations today. Either tell me what movie Axel is making a reference to there at the end, or tell me the significance of Zexion's last name being "Corazza".  
Song List: "Somebody told Me" by The Killers, "In the Dark of the Night" from Anastasia, and "Comfort and Joy" from the rather strange musical, Bat Boy. It's the only song that I like in the whole thing. There's a youtube address for my favorite version below. The song starts about 3:30 in.

youtube(DOT)com(SLASH)watch?v=3GUWL3sJ-sc

...Why am I always posting chapters at four in the morning? (sigh)


	21. Calling Out the Traitor

**Calling Out the Traitor**

If you were not intimately familiar with all of the details that made up the interior of Second Circle's main room, as the employees were, it would be impossible to recognize it by Saturday night. The staff had stayed up late, and come in very early, all in the name of decorating. They had used every bit of glitz and gold in the decorations closet to turn the room into a fabulous ballroom worthy of royalty, and had then promptly collapsed onto the couches and chairs in the back room for well-deserved naps.

Naminé found them like that at three in the afternoon, when she slipped into the back room, sketchbook in hand. The Circleans, as she had nicknamed them, were all asleep, save for Roxas. The blond boy was watching a movie on mute with subtitles.

"Axel insisted." he said, gesturing to the screen as Naminé came to sit beside him. "He claims that 'The Man in the Iron Mask' is a great movie, and I must watch it to understand the theme of this prom thing we're doing. He was watching with me, but… well…"

Glancing at the redhead, who was snoring quietly on one of the couches with Riku using his stomach as a pillow, Naminé nodded in understanding. "I guess they're worn out from decorating. The front room looks amazing." She giggled, catching sight of Saïx, who had dozed off onto Marluxia's shoulder. The pinkette was leaning on Vexen, all three fast asleep. She pulled out her sketchbook, settling down to draw as Roxas turned his attention back to the movie.

xXx

About an hour later, as the credits were finally rolling, Roxas was gaping at the TV screen in awe, and Naminé was coloring in Saïx's hair. Roxas blinked, finally saying, "That… was so cool… When they just charged all of those soldiers… Wow…"

Naminé nodded in agreement. "Axel was right. It was a good movie. Shame he wasn't awake to watch it with us."

"They'll wake up at some point. Superior is coming in soon, so he'll get them up." As Roxas spoke, they heard footsteps in the hallway, and Xemnas appeared in the doorway.

"Is the decorating finished?" he asked Roxas sternly, eyeing his sleeping employees. Roxas nodded, smiling, and Xemnas's expression softened. "I assume they were up very early working."

"Yeah. We've been here since eight this morning. I was getting ready to go through the costume closet." Roxas gestured to the little closet that usually served as the ledge to the catwalk ladder door. They had every costume they would ever need, including formal wear for a royal ball.

Naminé rose gracefully to her feet, tucking her sketchbook back in her bag. "I should go, then. You guys are extremely busy, and I shouldn't be in the way."

"No." Xemnas said, stepping forward. He offered the young artist a camera, explaining, "I want you to be the photographer for this evening. I will be happy to pay you for your trouble, but I doubt any of my employees possess your eye for detail and imaging."

Naminé accepted the camera, but looked at the floor. "I… I couldn't. I don't have anything to wear…"

"I do!" Roxas said. He disappeared into the closet for a moment and returned with a gorgeous gown, done in a modern print of red, violet, black, gold, and silver swirls. "It's not exactly renaissance ball style, but it's perfect for you!"

Naminé looked between the camera and the dress. "I… I… Thank you…" Taking the hanger from Roxas, she disappeared up the stairs, obviously to go try it on. Roxas and Xemnas exchanged a look, and set about waking up the rest of the employees. They still had to get dressed and set up refreshments, after all.

By the time seven o'clock drew near, all of the employees were dressed and presentable, and punch and snacks were out in Oblivion. Axel snuck up behind Roxas, hugging the blond boy and running a hand over the elegant black dress coat he was wearing. "Roxy, you look incredible!" he said, smiling.

Roxas shrugged him off. "Homosexuality was frowned upon in the renaissance." He waited just long enough to see Axel pout before grinning. "I'm kidding, you idiot."

Zexion looked down at his own silvery outfit, one eyebrow raised. "This doesn't look as bad as I thought it would…" All of the boys were dressed in white dress shirts, with long coats trimmed in metallic thread and matching knee-length pants. Axel and Saïx, in particular, were displeased with the long socks and dress shoes that matched the costumes, but there was nothing they could do. It was for the theme, and Xemnas's word was final.

People started arriving a few minutes before seven, an unending stream of tuxedos and prom dresses. They gasped over the decorations and costumes, completely enthralled by the atmosphere the employees had created. Demyx had put together a special playlist, mixing up modern music with traditional classical. Everything was in place.

Zexion was near the door to the back room when it opened and Xion slipped out. He raised an eyebrow at his sister, who had taken advantage of technically not being an employee to wear something she liked. She was dressed in dark purple, the skirt coming down to just below her knees. Elegant sandals and a black shawl completed the look.

"Xi…" Zexion mumbled, trying to comprehend. "I think you missed the theme a little…"

Riku appeared out of the crowd, grinning broadly. "Ignore your brother, Xion, he's fashion-missing. You look absolutely stunning." He offered her a gloved hand, asking flippantly, "May I have this dance?"

Xion accepted the hand, smiling at Zexion before following the silveret into the group of dancers. The other dancer was left to stare, forced into accepting that his sister was no longer the little girl he'd been trying to shield for ten years. He only snapped out of his daze when Demyx tapped his shoulder, offering a hand of his own.

"Come on, Zexion. Come dance with me. You know how to waltz, right?"

Zexion nodded, letting Demyx pull him along. For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that everything was changing, right in front of his eyes. And he could do nothing to stop it.

xXx

Riku had been fine until that point. Decorating had kept him busy enough that he hadn't had time to think about what he'd done, or what the consequences were. But now, looking at Xion's smiling face, he felt the unmistakable welling of guilt. Zexion had clearly worked quite hard to keep his secret for so long. He'd refused to speak of his past, no matter how much they begged and pleaded with him to confide in them. And Riku, upon finally learning that secret, had told the Seekers.

_Maleficent had said they were going to end the fighting._ He attempted to console himself with this thought, knowing that it wasn't enough. And the uneasy feeling in his stomach refused to go away. He stumbled over the steps for the third time, and Xion paused to look at him, her smile fading.

"Are you all right, Riku?"

_Don't ask me that._ "I'm fine." Riku replied. "Still tired from the decorating rush." The lie burned as it slipped off his tongue, a black lie that would hurt in the long run. He stared into her sapphire eyes, so like her brother's, and the treasonous voice in the back of his mind whispered, _Niori. She's Niori, and you know. And you told._

Xion nodded understandingly. "That's okay." She smiled at him, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek, and Riku subconsciously winced. It was true what people said about guilt, because it was eating him alive.

xXx

Axel and Roxas waltzed effortlessly around the room, to the envy of a lot of the other teenagers, who didn't quite know what to do when the music track switched over to classical. Axel twirled his blond boyfriend, laughing to himself.

"Who would have thought Xemnas's stupid play would come in handy? I'm actually glad I know how to waltz." the redhead said.

Roxas tightened his grip on Axel's hand, practically beaming with happiness. He followed where his taller partner led, unable to stop smiling. It seemed like everyone was having a good time, meaning that Second Circle's first prom would be an unquestionable success.

"This is so much fun!" Axel was still talking. "This is really great. Balls are great! I absolutely love balls!"

Roxas tripped over his own feet as five teenage boys around them started laughing. He flushed, scowling and socking his boyfriend in the stomach.

"Ow! What was that for?" Axel yelped. He considered what he had said for a second, and his eyes widened. "Oops…" He took a step towards Roxas, who was frowning at him, and said, "Roxas…"

"I told you that the only rule was to not embarrass me in public." Roxas snarled, indicating the snickers still drifting around them. He raised an eyebrow at Axel, who promptly broke out puppy eyes and a pleading look.

"I'm sorry. I'll watch what innuendos I'm making in the future. I'll make sure they're all intentional!"

Roxas sighed, and Axel waited to see what the boy's reaction would be. The blond finally looked up."Are we going to have cake, or what?"

Axel grinned. "Yes, we're going to have cakerwhat." He turned around, calling across to Zexion and Demyx, who were dancing nearby, "Zex, Dem! Let's go have cakerwhat!" He walked away hand-in-hand with Roxas, who elbowed him, as Zexion just stared in confusion and Demyx dissolved into laughter.

"Roxas has him whipped." the musician giggled, and Zexion couldn't help but agree. He frowned, then, as his phone vibrated in his coat pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the unfamiliar number, rolling his eyes.

"I refuse to answer it." he said disapprovingly, letting Demyx take his hand again after returning the phone to his pocket.

"What if it was important?" Demyx asked, resting his forehead against Zexion's.

"Nothing right this second is more important than being here." Zexion replied, leaning forward to press a brief kiss to the blond musician's lips. Demyx immediately disregarded the phone call, returning the gesture before continuing the dance effortlessly.

xXx

Somewhere in Naught's Skyway, Terra Nihil closed his phone and cursed.

"He's not answering, Vincent! What do we do?"

Vincent, wrapped in his usual red cloak, turned worried eyes to the skyline in the direction of the Memory's Skyscraper district. "If we're going, we need to hurry. Hopefully the Courtiers will be willing to help us."

Terra nodded. "My brother can only do so much. And in this case, the neutrality pact isn't going to be enough." He clambered to his feet, following the Seeker of Redemption into the winding streets, heading for the Cathedral of Empty Melodies as fast as they could go.

xXx

Riku was still with Xion when he first became aware that something was off.

The music was still going, electronica and trance the flavor of the moment, but the sound of human voices was slowly fading. The silveret stopped dancing when he realized, reaching out for Xion's hand and gripping it lightly. "Something's wrong."

"What do you mean?" But the confusion faded from the girl's face a moment later, as she too noticed that it had gone quiet. The song that was playing came to an end, the last on the playlist, and complete silence descended over the club. Riku pulled Xion with him as he made his way around the edge of the room, stopping when he recognized Ben and Maleficent standing just inside the doorway, a group of Seekers at their backs.

The crowd shuffled, blocking Riku's view, but he could hear fearful murmurs from those in front. Xion leaned around a girl in a poofy pink ballgown and gasped softly, shrinking back to lean against Riku. "The nightmare-man…" she whispered, an edge of horror in her voice.

"Nightmare…?" Riku questioned, stepping around her to get a better view. He froze at the sight of the man who had just walked through the nightclub's front doors, golden eyes pitiless and merciless. Xehanort.

Riku instinctively took a step back, though his mind reeled. He had been betrayed. It was the only explanation. He pushed Xion behind him, hissing softly, "Go to your brother."

"But Riku…!"

"Go to your brother and Demyx! This is… something terrible is going to happen."

Xion didn't protest any further, turning and fleeing towards the entrance to Oblivion, where Zexion and Demyx were coming from. She latched onto her brother's waist, hiding her face against his chest, and Zexion without thinking hugged her in return.

"Xi, what's wrong? Xi…?" He tightened his arms, looking around the room in search of the thing that had upset his precious sister. But then his eyes fell on the Seeker of Darkness, and he stiffened, eyes widening in fear. "…The Seekers are here."

Xemnas, by this point, had appeared from his office, walking through the room purposefully. He stopped at each of his employees in turn as he reached them, speaking to them briefly before moving on. He stopped at Zexion and Demyx, Xion still wrapped in her brother's arms and Naminé having appeared to hover behind Demyx.

"Naminé," the nightclub owner said, "When I give orders, you are to leave with the remainder of the high-schoolers. You do not work here, and I will not see you put in danger." He turned to his dancer and musician, continuing, "Demyx, Zexion, Xion. Your orders are the same as the others. Start making your way towards the back, and if necessary, escape." He stared at Zexion for a long moment, and again the silveret had the uncanny feeling that his boss already knew everything. Xemnas nodded gravely, and continued heading towards the front of the room, where Xehanort was simply waiting, surveying the room.

"This nightclub is a neutral zone." Xemnas said evenly, eyeing the Seekers' leader disapprovingly. "What business do you have here, armed as you are?"

"You are harboring fugitives." Xehanort replied, frowning. "We have been pursuing them for years, and have finally discovered that they have been here all along. Ienzo and Niori Corazza. We know that they are here."

"No one by that name works at this nightclub." Xemnas countered, his voice sharp, daring the other to try something, anything, in _his_ nightclub.

"But they are not using that name. At least…" And here, Xehanort smiled. "…that is what Riku Mercuriae has informed us."

Around the room, the employees gasped in shock. Xion squeaked in surprise as Zexion turned pale, gripping Demyx's hand hard enough to hurt. _Riku…? How… How did he find out…? How could he…?_ Demyx pulled on the dancer's hand, tugging him lightly towards the back room, where all of the employees were making their way to. Xemnas's orders.

Riku pushed forward as his name was mentioned, ignoring orders completely. He stopped just behind Xemnas, who said in a perfect, uncaring voice, "That is intriguing. I shall take Riku with me to the back and have him show me which one of my employees is a liar." Despite his flat tone, there was a hint of darkness in there that Riku picked up on. He was dead. He was dead, and calling in favors from Sephiroth or Yazoo wasn't going to save him this time. He glanced up as Xemnas continued, "I would ask that the guests who are here be allowed to leave. This doesn't concern them, after all."

Xehanort deliberated for a long moment, but eventually conceded. "Very well. Your employees' faces are well-known. They will not be able to slip out." The Seekers stepped aside to allow the frightened high-schoolers to exit the building. Riku glimpsed Naminé among the crowd, and was relieved that she, at least, was safe. But now he had to force Xemnas to understand what he'd thought he was doing.

When the last teenager had left, Xemnas raised an eyebrow. "I will go and fetch the liars, for you. Come, Riku." The command was flat, leaving no room for refusal, but Xehanort stopped him.

"No." the Seeker of Darkness denied. "My Seekers will bring them here, so that none of them can escape." Xemnas had already taken a few steps towards the back room, but Riku ran forward instead.

"You lied to me!" he shouted at Maleficent, who only laughed.

"Naïve little boy." she said wickedly. "I did not lie. The fighting between the gangs will cease because the Seekers will be the only gang remaining. Once the Corazzas are gone, it is only a matter of time before the Angels and Gamblers fall."

_Gone_. The word echoed in Riku's head. _Xion… gone?_ They were talking murder. They were talking about killing one of his friends, and the girl he loved. Without thinking, he had stepped between his boss and the Seeker of Darkness, throwing his arms to the sides as if to shield the nightclub. "No!" he shouted, furious, his voice cracking from the panic and determination. "No! You won't use me for this!"

Xehanort backhanded him, sending him flying to the tiled floor with a bruise quickly forming on his cheekbone. He rolled upon landing, looking up to scream at Xemnas and the others hiding in the back room, "RUN! You have to get out of here!" He winced again, curling in on himself as Xehanort kicked him in the stomach before turning to issue orders to his subordinates.

"Do not let them escape. Take the Corazza children alive, but do not hesitate to kill the others if they resist."

Xemnas, being their invincible omniscient god-boss, had already disappeared, hopefully getting the others out of the club. Riku knew where they'd go; the Court was the safest place for them right now. For now, he needed to lie low. Hopefully they wouldn't kill him, wouldn't want to provoke Sephiroth before they were ready…

xXx

It was Zexion who led them to the Cathedral, practically begging Aerith for safety in their desperation. The green-eyed Angel had listened to the entire story, surprised. She had known of the missing child, but to find out that it was the silveret she had already met twice before… She had halted his stammered, fearful explanation, personally leading the group through the Cathedral and down the hidden stairs. She took them through the main hall, the wide room of pillars and marbled floors, and to a smaller room that contained many tables and chairs.

"I will speak to the Courtiers." she promised, speaking mainly to Zexion. "You will be safe here. This place is true neutral, and has been since the construction of the city. Even Xehanort will not attack the Court, because we have our own defenses." She nodded to them, before disappearing out the door and leaving them to their own devices. By this point, most of them had realized that Zexion and Xion were the Corazza children the Seekers were after, even if they didn't understand all the details.

There was silence for a long time, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Roxas spoke up, saying softly, "At least the people who had only come for prom got out okay…"

"Did Riku really…" Axel began, uncertainly. Riku was one of their friends, part of the family that Second Circle's employees had become. It seemed almost unbelievable that one of their own had betrayed them, but…

Time continued to pass, and Aerith did not return. When the door finally did open, they all looked up, only to see the very person whose betrayal they were contemplating.

"Riku!" Xion cried, but Zexion gripped her hand tightly, keeping her at his side.

Riku looked like he had walked through hell and back. The bruise on his cheek stood out livid blue against his skin, and he had one arm protectively over his stomach, where more bruises lay hidden by his clothing. He looked at all of them, opening his mouth as if to speak but unable to form the words.

"Riku…" Xemnas said quietly. "We can only ask you one thing. Did you tell the Seekers about Zexion and Xion?"

The silveret made a small, choked noise, knowing that his answer would damn him. He nodded slowly, once, and whispered, "Yes. I… I told the Seeker of Power."

For a moment, it seemed like none of them employees would react. But then Axel got up, standing on one of the tables and pointing furiously at the door. "Get out!" he shouted, eyes blazing hatred. "Get out now!" Roxas stood to one side, with Saïx, both of them with arms crossed and expressions hard. Riku looked from one stony face to the next frantically, and found no solace. Marluxia just looked sad, while Vexen looked disappointed. And standing in the back, refusing to even look in his direction, was Zexion, restraining his sister.

"Please!" Riku begged. "Please, I can explain…!" If he could just make them understand what he'd thought he was doing… They were his family! They had to forgive him!

"You hurt one of us, you hurt us all!" Axel cried. "You harm either of them, you wound each of us in turn! Obviously if you never realized that, you were never one of us after all!" He pointed accusingly in Riku's direction. "They trusted you, and you ratted them out to the Seekers! We should do much worse than send you away!"

"I didn't know what they would do! I didn't mean it to happen like this!" Riku shrieked, trying to get to them, get to Xion, and make her _see_… But Lexaeus and Xaldin were there to stop him, each grabbing an arm to prevent him advancing.

"As if that really matters!" Roxas yelled at the admission. "You knew Xigbar as well as the rest of us. You must have figured out that his 'assignment' was to eliminate the last of a powerful family! If you found out that they were Corazza, you should have known that the Seekers would kill them!" He scowled, and spat, "At least we know what you're really like, now. Willing to turn others over to murderers to help yourself! Now we're not so blind!"

"I…!" Riku knew at this point that there was nothing he could say to change their minds. They hated him. They had turned against him. "Please, I…" He stopped pulling against the hold Lexaeus and Xaldin had on him, slumping in defeat.

"Just go." Everyone turned to look as Zexion hissed the words. "Just shut up, and get out. You've done enough. Enough damage to last a lifetime. Just get out! Just get out and leave us alone!"

Riku stared at him, his eyes wide. He stood unmoving for the space of a few moments, and then turned and fled, almost running over Aerith, who was returning to the room, in his haste. Aerith watched him go, asking puzzledly, "Was that Morningstar?"

"He betrayed us to the Seekers." Zexion said coldly. Xion looked up at him, hesitating before yanking her hand out of his grip.

"I'm going after him." she said.

Zexion gaped at her. "Xion! He…! He told the people who want to _kill us_ where we are! He can't be trusted!"

"I love him!" Xion objected. "There has to be a reason! I don't think he wanted to hurt us!" She took a few steps back. "You would feel the same if it were Demyx! You would want to believe the best of him!" She turned and raced away, ignoring her brother, Axel, and Roxas as they all called after her. Zexion slumped into a chair, putting his head in his hands.

To think, yesterday had been perfect. What had gone so wrong?

* * *

Greetings from college! XD

Sorry this is so late. Packing and moving and orientation and classes starting... Plus I couldn't get the part with Riku right, and I'm still obsessed with Kuroshitsuji... *blahblahblahexcuses* So yeah. This is the chapter! This is the one I've been planning for a while now! Just to let you know, next chapter might be a bit shorter. I need to check my notes, but... And I'm putting up pictures on DeviantArt; one of Namine's dress from this chapter, and one of Cloud, Ven, and Roxas. Colored pencil FTW!

Hugs and dancing for you!  
Li

Reader Quest: One quote in this chapter is my favorite line that Riku says in the original Kingdom Hearts. Do you know what it is?  
Song List: "Dance in the Dreams" from Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, "Careless Whisper" by Seether, "Telephone" by Lady Gaga, "One of Us" from The Lion King II


	22. The Heart's True Essence

**The Heart's True Essence**

It took Xion a few minutes to find her way back to the staircase that led back into the Cathedral, but she managed without any of the Courtiers stopping her. If they'd known what she was doing, she was certain that they would have dragged her back to her brother and guardians, back to 'safety', and somewhere where she wouldn't be able to reach the boy that she cared about.

Riku had made a mistake. That was the easiest way to put it. He hadn't understood what it meant, the secret that he had learned. Xion herself didn't completely understand. She's known since as long as she could remember that she had another name, a name that she wasn't supposed to tell anyone. Zexion had explained it in terms of fairy-tales and stories, telling her that they were like the good prince and princess, and they had to keep their identities secret to keep the wicked villains from finding them. She's been too little to worry, and it was easy to fall into a new identity, and nearly forget the old.

But the one thing that had always stayed with her was the nightmare-man. She remembered him, remembered not his face but his eyes, golden and hateful. It had taken her a while to warm up to both Saïx and Xigbar, because of the color of their eyes. The nightmare-man, Xehanort, leader of the Seekers, he had been the one who murdered their parents. Xion remembered hiding behind her brother, peering through the crack in the kitchen door just long enough to see the Seeker of Darkness pull the trigger, just long enough to see her father's blood splatter the walls, before Zexion-Ienzo had been pulling her away.

_"We have to run, Nio!"_

And run they had, into the night, until a haven had been found in the form of Second Circle. But before safety was found, there was the forming of new identities.

_"It's not safe to be Ienzo and Niori anymore. From now on, I'm Zexion, and you're Xion. Xion Ishida…"_

xXx

She wandered the streets for a while, going first to Riku's house. He had shown her where he lived at least once, and for now she assumed that the Angels didn't know what had occurred. There had been a moment of hesitation, standing awkwardly before the front door, but finally she steeled herself and knocked. The Angels were people, just like anyone else. There was nothing to be afraid of.

A boy only a little taller than her opened the door, dressed head-to-toe in black leather. His eyes widened in surprise, and he asked warily, "Who are you?"

"My name is Xion." the dark-haired girl replied. "I'm from Second Circle. I was looking for Riku."

Recognition filled the other's eyes, and he smiled. "So you're Xion! Yazoo was telling me that Riku had a girlfriend. I'm Kadaj." He offered her a hand, which she shook, before saying, "But I haven't seen Riku today. He got up really early and left for the nightclub, and hasn't been home since. And Sephiroth has called a meeting, but I'm sure he won't be there. I'm sorry."

"That's okay…" Xion paused, watching as the teen grabbed a sword from a table somewhere out of view and stepped onto the porch, shutting the door behind him. "What kind of meeting?"

"Something's wrong." Kadaj shrugged. "That's the only reason he ever calls all of _us_ to one place at one time. Usually he tries to avoid the high command all being in one place unless we're at home. If I see Riku, I'll tell him to find you, okay?" The silver-haired boy patted her on the shoulder and jumped down the stairs, taking off in the direction of Naught's Skyway. Xion stared after him, worried, before heading in the other direction.

xXx

The building for which the Memory's Skyscraper district was named, the skyscraper itself, loomed over a wide open plaza that had several benches. Xion sat down on one of them, hiding her face in her hands. With the Seekers after him and the Circleans turned against him, she had thought that Riku would go to his family for help, but obviously she had been mistaken. That meant he could be anywhere in the city, and she had no idea where to begin searching. Unless he had gone back to the Seekers… He wouldn't… Would he?

"You look sad."

The voice was low, slightly rough but kind-sounding. Xion peered up at the speaker curiously. There was a young man standing there, probably around Axel's age. He had a thick mane of black hair and dark black tattoos on each arm, but his green-gold eyes were warm.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, sitting down on the other end of the bench. Xion stared at him in silence for a moment, and he sighed. "It's obvious that something is bothering you. Come on, you can tell me."

"What makes you think _you_ can help?" Xion practically snapped, surprising even herself with how rude she sounded.

The guy, to his credit, laughed. "You remind me of my girlfriend." he said with a small smile. "Stubborn as all hell, with a temper to match. She never let anything stop her." His eyes focused on her intently. "Seriously, what's the matter?"

With a sigh, Xion gave him the short version. Her 'family' had sent her boyfriend away. She had gone after him, but had no idea where to look. When she finished explaining, she realized he was giving her an odd look. "What? Did I say something weird?"

"No…" the guy murmured. "But that sounds so much like my story… My girlfriend's dad threw me out, and she came after me too. Our families were fighting, and my mother and her father hated that we were in love." He blinked, as if remembering something, and said quickly, "Oh, sorry. I'm Kovu, by the way."

"I'm… Xion…" The black-haired girl was silent for a moment, then asked, "When your girlfriend looked for you, how did she find you? What can I do?"

"The best thing you can do is just to keep searching. Love will find a way, you know? If you are truly meant to be, you'll find each other again." Kovu said. He scooted down to pat her awkwardly on the shoulder. Xion managed a small smile for him, before getting up, feeling more determined than before.

"Thank you." she said softly. Kovu smiled in return.

"Good luck, Xion." he said. As he watched her start off again, he leaned back against the bench, grinning. "All too familiar… But I spoke only the truth. Love will find a way. I mean, it worked for me and Kiara…"

xXx

When Naminé arrived home, she was reaching for the front doorknob when her phone rang. She pulled out the cell phone and peered at it curiously. It was Larxene calling her, from the landline. She quickly dropped the phone back in her bag, exchanging it for her house key. She opened the front door just as the cordless phone slammed into the nearest wall. "Larxene?"

"Naminé?" Naminé was unprepared for the reaction as Larxene hurried in from the living room. She ignored the battered phone, instead hugging her younger sister tightly. "God damn it, I was worried! I keep trying to call Demyx, but he won't answer his phone! What the hell happened?"

Naminé tried to figure out how to explain as Larxene dragged her into the living room. The older blonde pointed at the television, where the local news channel was showing a reporter interviewing several familiarly-dressed teenagers.

_"…And can you tell us what happened after that?"_

_"They were looking for somebody… I think they wanted to kill them. But the club's owner, that Xemnas guy, got them to let all of us go…"_

"The Seekers _attacked_ Second Circle?" Larxene demanded. Naminé nodded, staring at the traumatized high-school students on the screen in something like numb shock.

"Xehanort and his lieutenants…" she whispered. "He's after two people named Corazza… He thought they were hiding at the club." She wanted to cry, but no tears would come. "Xemnas told me to leave with the students, since I wasn't an employee. But I don't know if they're all okay or not…" Her voice cracked on the last word, and Larxene wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"The news would have been all over it if someone had died. I'm sure they're still alive. It doesn't sound like there was even a fight."

Naminé nodded shakily. "I… I know…" She clutched Xemnas's camera tightly, hoping desperately that she would have a chance to return it to him.

All over the city, families of employees were watching the news. Axel's brother Reno bolted from the couch where he'd been lounging, roaring about going after the 'motherless sons of bitches that dared endanger his brother'. His partner managed to calm him, but only barely.

Leon and Sora, as well as Cloud and Ven, could only watch events unfold in horror. Sora was trying to get hold of Riku, while Cloud and Ven were trying to reach Roxas; but they, like Larxene, got no answer. What they didn't know was that all of the employees' phones and personal belongings had been abandoned in the back room, left behind in their frantic flight. All they could do was sit and watch the news and worry, hoping that their loved ones would be okay.

xXx

Xion had ended up in Nothing's Call, searching through the mostly empty streets for any sign of the silver-haired Angel. She was tired, her feet hurt, and night had fallen, leaving the sparse streetlights as her only real source of illumination. It was getting to the point where she would be forced to crawl back to the Court and apologize for running off.

"Riku… Where are you?" she asked the street despairingly.

"Hello, there, little lady."

She swore she jumped at least a foot in the air at the voice. She whirled around to see a tall, extremely skinny man leaning on a wall at the entrance to one of the alleys. He pushed off to approach her and sweep a dramatic bow. "Is the little lady looking for someone?"

Xion nodded slowly, and he grinned. "Perhaps I can be of help? I specialize in… fortune and desires." He offered her a business card, which had the name 'Dr. Facilier' printed on it in neat writing.

"I'm looking for a boy named Riku." Xion said. "Have you seen him?"

Facilier continued to grin at her. "I have not, but perhaps the cards can tell us where he is. If the little lady would care to come this way…" He reached for Xion's hand, but froze as another voice called out sharply, filling the street.

"I thought I told you to stop bothering people in this neighborhood, Shadow-man!" A woman that Xion recognized as Tiana, from the restaurant Riku had taken her to, was walking towards them, followed by the other man from the restaurant. Xion couldn't remember if he was her boyfriend or husband. His name was Nar… Nam… Naveen!

"I wasn't bothering anybody!" Facilier objected. "I was just going to help this young lady…"

"Help her help _you_ with some new scheme?" Naveen interrupted. "Don't make us smash any more of your ridiculous talismans!"

Facilier turned pale and stammered something about needing to meet some friends before hurrying off. Tiana came over and put an arm around Xion's shoulders. "Are you okay, sweetie? He didn't try any of his crazy voodoo on you, did he?"

"No, ma'am." Xion replied. "He said he could help me find Riku."

"That's the boy you were with the other day in the restaurant, right?" Tiana asked. "What happened to him?"

Xion gave her an abridged version of the story, summarizing the fact that Riku had run from them after everyone turned against him. "I know he didn't mean to do anything wrong, and I'm scared something will happen to him if he's out here by himself."

Tiana smiled gently. "Think about it like this." she said reasonably. "Where does your friend feel the most comfortable or the safest? If something this terrible has happened, he's sure to retreat to _somewhere_ that he feels normal to counter everything he's losing control of."

"But…" Xion started to protest. She'd gone to his home, and he hadn't been there. But the more she thought about it, the less that made sense. Riku didn't like his home. He avoided it, and contact with his brothers, as much as possible. No, the place that he spent the most time was… Second Circle. Her eyes widened at the realization. The last place that she would have checked had to be the answer!

"Do you see?" Tiana asked.

Xion nodded quickly. "Yes! Thank you, Miss Tiana!"

Tiana smiled. "Good luck, sweetie."

Xion took off for the Memory's Skyscraper district, certain she would find her boyfriend this time. He had to be there! He had to!

xXx

At the Court of Existence, Zexion had done nothing but worry since Xion had run off. Nothing that any of his family said could console him. He sat leaning against Demyx's shoulder, and the others swore they could almost see the raincloud that had formed over his head. Aerith had left a while ago, and none of the other Courtiers had come to talk to them. Their phones had been abandoned at Second Circle, so they had no way of knowing what was going on outside.

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Demyx said, trying to be reassuring. "Xion's clever. If she doesn't want to be found, she won't be." He tightened his arm around Zexion's waist, and the silveret sighed.

"I can't lose her, Demyx. She's the only blood family I have left."

"I know. I know…" The musician nuzzled his boyfriend's hair, at a loss for what to do. Fortunately, he was saved from having to make another attempt by the door to the room they were still in opening to admit Vincent and Terra. Terra immediately made a beeline for his brother, embracing the nightclub owner before looking for Roxas and hugging him tightly too.

"Thank the Kingdom you guys are all right!" he said, sounding genuinely relieved. Roxas returned the hug with equal tightness, unable to speak. But thankfully, Saïx spoke up.

"Have you heard anything?"

"Nothing." Terra said, shaking his head. "They've probably figured out that we're gone so our cover is more than likely blown." He sighed. "Last I heard, at least, Xehanort wants you two alive." The comment was directed at Zexion, the stressed brunet not noticing that Xion wasn't present.

"Why would he want us alive?" Zexion asked softly. "He has spent this long trying to murder us; why change his mind now?"

"It's something about a password." Vincent replied, startling everyone. They had nearly forgotten that the red-cloaked man was there. "He needs you to give him some sort of code or password; for what I'm not sure."

"Who _is_ this guy?" Axel demanded before Zexion could say anything. "Seriously, he looks really suspicious. Are you sure we can trust him?"

"He's the Seeker of Redemption." Terra said. "His name is Vincent Valentine. He's been undercover for the Turks for a while now, and he agreed to help me. The Turks want the same thing we do; the end of the Seekers."

"…You're Vincent Valentine?" Axel asked incredulously. "Reno practically idolizes you!" He gazed at the crimson-eyed Turk with newfound respect.

Xemnas cleared his throat irritably. "As interesting as this chat is, there is a pressing matter that we really need to get out of the way." He turned to the silveret still sitting curled against Demyx, and said firmly, "Zexion. You need to tell us the truth. The whole story, from the beginning."

Zexion shut his eyes, a pained expression briefly crossing his features. "I… I guess I can…" He sat up, looking at Xemnas curiously. "But you already know, don't you, Superior?"

Xemnas smirked. "But the rest of us need to know as well."

Zexion sighed. "All right. It all started on a rainy night, ten years ago…"

xXx

It was an easy thing to sneak into the side entrance of Second Circle. Xion picked her way down the back hallway, not wanting to turn on any lights in case the club was being watched. When she reached Saïx's office, she hurried inside, taking the small emergency flashlight he kept in one of his desk drawers. The beam was enough to illuminate the way, but not enough to attract attention. She swept it around the office briefly, making certain that the one she sought wasn't lurking in a corner, before resuming her search.

She checked Xemnas's office next, poking into all the nooks and crannies. But she found nothing living in the office save the Superior's potted desk cactus. Assuming that Riku wouldn't be out in the open in the main room or in Oblivion, she hurried to the back room, casting the flashlight around desperately. He had to be here! There was no other explanation!

After checking the costume closet, she was preparing to go upstairs when something caught her eye. A decorative bottle full of pens had been knocked over from where it sat on the ladder-disguised-as-a-bookshelf. She looked closer, and sure enough, a slightly dirty shoe-print marred the otherwise-clean wood. Riku had gone this way.

Xion scurried up the ladder-shelf, making her way to the stage ladder and beginning the climb to the skywalks. Now that she was in the main room, a glimmer of light caught her eye from a curtain-covered alcove. Remembering something her brother had said, she realized it was his reading nook. And the only reason the light would be on…

She nearly flew across the skywalks, yanking the curtain aside. "Riku!"

He looked up just in time for his eyes to widen in surprise before Xion threw herself into his arms, holding tightly. "I found you, Riku… I found you… I looked everywhere for you!"

"Xion!" Riku cried, pushing her back. "What are you doing here? You should be at Court with your brother! It's not safe!"

"I had to come after you, Riku. I love you." Xion objected. "I know you didn't mean what you did. You have to come back with me. It's not safe for you either!"

Riku scowled. "I can't come back. The others hate me, the Seekers know I'm a traitor, and as soon as the Angels find out what I've done Sephiroth is going to disown me. I have no choice but to wait until I find a way to convince them I'm not the bad guy. I'll be fine. No one will find me here…"

"_I_ found you." Xion said sharply. "If I could track you down, so can the Seekers or the Angels or whoever! Please, come back with me…" She knew she was begging, and she didn't care. She didn't want to see Riku hurt. And he wouldn't be safe anywhere but Court.

Riku reached out and cupped her face gently. "I can't, Xion. I love you, but I can't face them. Not yet. Go back and tell them that I'm so sorry, but don't expect me to come with you." He leaned forward to press a single kiss to her lips. "It's getting very late. You need to get back, or dangers other than the Seekers will be a problem too."

He was right. Night wasn't safe alone, especially not for a girl as young as her. Xion blinked at him tearfully, but nodded. The climb back to the ground was harder than going up, knowing that he was going to stay behind. She returned her borrowed flashlight to Saïx's office, sighing. She had no choice but to return to Court and face her brother's anger and worry.

She stepped out into the dark alley and immediately froze, seeing the figure standing in the shadow of the buildings. But familiar hair and clothing stood out to her, and she sighed with relief. "Sora? What are you doing here?"

"I came to see if you guys were okay. I heard there was an attack on the news."

Xion nodded. "We're fine. Zexion led us to the Court of Existence, which is a neutral zone for the gangs. We'll be safe there." She frowned at the boy. "Is it safe for you to be here?"

"I couldn't just sit at home and do nothing." he replied in a low voice. "I know it's unsafe. Come on. I'll walk with you."

"Thanks, Sora." Xion said, smiling faintly at him. She started off back into the alleys, and the boy at her side followed one step behind, grinning. Who would have thought a few new articles of clothing would make this so easy?

* * *

...Should I bore you all with my excuses of college and life and writer's block and blah? No? Didn't think so. I'll just say that I'm _really **really sorry**_ for taking this long to update. (sigh)

Cameos are fun, and cameos from one of my favorite Disney movies are even better! And, of course, the plot marches on... Next chapter, we start the climb towards the finale!

Enjoy, and again, I'm sorry it's so late!  
Li

Reader Quest: Multi-difficulty today, since I was gone for so long. Who are Kovu and Kiara, for an easy question, and for a hard one, what other chapter has Kovu been seen in? He wasn't mentioned by name!

Song List: "Love Will Find a Way" from The Lion King II, "Friends on the Other Side" from The Princess and the Frog, "Crash and Burn" by Savage Garden, and I'll throw in "Dirge of the Fourteenth" from Kingdom Hearts, too, even though I haven't found anywhere to download it yet.


	23. Admittances and Apologies

I suppose that I should begin by apologizing. I know that there are many of you who enjoyed this story greatly, and that is why I feel that it is only fair to tell you the truth.

I have lost my muse for this story.

To be honest, the finale was never particularly well-planned in the first place. But in the rush of college (and a powerful obsession with Kuroshitsuji), my motivation for completing this story has slackened to the point where I do not believe it is in anyone's best interest to continue. I apologize sincerely for leaving it cliffhangered as it is, but the climax is the most important part of a story. I do not want to just write to finish, because if the resolution is no good, the story itself becomes worthless.

At the risk of sounding melodramatic, I made a vow a few years ago that I would never leave a story unfinished. I still have my notes, and if my muse returns I may come back to this. But as I said above, I feel like it's better to leave it on hiatus, incomplete, than to force the ending and ruin it.

Thank you, to everyone who has read and left reviews, and I again apologize. Hopefully this will one day be complete.

Forever and always,

Li


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